


A Little Bit of Hope

by Rockpelt



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Girlfriends/No Wives, Angst, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Coming Out, Established Relationship, Explicit Language, Flirting, Flower Crowns, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, French Kissing, Friends With Benefits, Humor, Implied Sexual Content, Kissing, M/M, Texting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-29
Updated: 2017-03-01
Packaged: 2018-07-10 20:34:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 21,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7005355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rockpelt/pseuds/Rockpelt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rob and Misha kissed once. Or twice. Or many times.<br/>Rich was never upset about it. Not until Rob was.<br/>And Rob was very upset.<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. "I kissed Misha. Sorry."

A quiet rustling of leaves made Rob’s head flick to the left. His eyes were wet with grief, and there were clear marks from the tears that had travelled down his cheeks before. “Hey.” The newcomer mumbled, his voice becoming lost in the crisp autumn air. He sat down on the wooden bench and extended his hand out, though quickly pulled it back.

“Hey, Rich.” Rob replied. His tears appeared to stop upon seeing the other man sit next to him, though that didn’t mean he was okay. “Why are you here?” He mumbled. Rich’s hand ran gently across his cheek, wiping away the traces of the tears that once fell. His lips parted slightly, drawing in the air around him. Rob so badly just wanted to lean in and fix everything that had gone wrong, but knew that he couldn’t. Nothing he could say or do would be able to fix the cracks he’d made.

“You were drunk. I don’t blame you.” The other spoke softly. Sincerely. Rich’s thumb caught on Rob’s chin, tilting his head slightly towards him. Rob’s lips trembled, though he hoped that it wouldn’t be noticeable. “If anyone, I blame him. But never you, Rob. Never” Misha. Of course he was referring to Misha. It was an accident; the kiss was an accident. The way Misha’s lips melded to his could only be described as unnatural. Though Rob was drunk at the time, and didn’t realise completely what had happened until after. He had regretted allowing himself to get so blinded by alcohol that something like that could have happened, and quickly left the hotel room he shared with Rich the next morning with a hurried ‘I kissed Misha. Sorry.’ note left on the hotel room’s coffee table. It hurt him so much, just leaving without actually explaining himself, but he knew he’d had to go. Rob had soon found himself at a nearby park, so it wasn’t very unusual that Rich had found him so quickly.

“You should blame me. I let him.” Rob managed to choke out. The tears had started to flow once more, and Rob found himself sniffling as he wiped away the liquid. If it wasn’t such a serious situation, Rich would have made a joke, but even he knew that it wasn’t the best idea at this point in time. “I shouldn’t be so worked up, I know.” He sniffed again, followed by a quiet sob. “I’m just a child.”

“No, no you’re not.” Rich moved his hand from Rob’s chin to around his neck, hand resting on his shoulder. He pulled him towards his body, leaning his own head into Rob’s hair. “I don’t get why you’re so worked up about it though. I mean, you’ve kissed Misha before. Why’s this different?” Rich asked, feeling the other’s breath hitch at the mention of Misha.

“S-something’s happened to me between then and now.” Rob said bluntly, though not giving away what had actually happened. Rich didn’t push further, not wanting to upset the other. Rob rubbed his eyes once more, and attempted to relax himself into Rich’s hold. He eventually turned himself on his side and almost snuggled into Rich, allowing silent tears to fall onto his shirt. Minutes felt like hours, though when the sky started turning to amber and peach, both men knew that they should head back. “Can we go back to the hotel?” Rob mumbled drowsily into Rich’s clothing. A hand ran over his back and shoulder, and a mumbled noise made him sit up, Rich clearly agreeing. Both men stood up and stretched, with Rob averting his eyes from Rich. He felt as though it was going to be a long walk.

“Wait, Rich.” Rob called out as the other walked straight past the entrance to the hotel. He turned around, acting surprised at his ‘mistake’. “You’ve missed the entrance.”

“I know.” A smirk. A classic Rich smirk. It very nearly almost made Rob’s knees buckle, but he managed to stay upright. “C’mon, we’re going out for dinner.” Rich turned around and continued walking, leaving Rob behind. When he realised that Rich wasn’t stopping, Rob broke into a slight jog to catch up to his friend.

“Why?” He said, leaning against a post to catch his breath, Rich stopping next to him. Rich crossed his arms and smirked again. He had a plan, and Rob wasn’t following it.

“Because you’re clearly upset, and I don’t want you to be upset?” Rich answered, cocking his head to the side. Rob managed a smile.

“Like a date?” Rich’s smirk faded with Rob’s comment.

“Call it what you will.” He started walking again, though made sure Rob was actually following this time. “I’m buying you a meal, and you’re gonna enjoy it.” Rob’s eyes widened. Rich was actually buying him a meal? The two continued walking, though Rob had no idea how far away the restaurant was. He walked in time with his friend, trying to enjoy the partial silence that had fallen between the two of them. The restaurant was only a couple of blocks away from the hotel. It appeared very rustic from the outside, though as the two stepped inside, it flowed into a more modernised feel. Couples, groups and singles alike sat around the brightly lit building, eating and talking. It took Rob a few moments to focus back to the fact that Rich had grabbed his arm and was dragging him past the tables to a booth near the back of the restaurant. They both sat down, and Rich passed Rob a menu.

“Everything sounds so good.” Rob mumbled to himself, mouth beginning to water at the sight of some of the dishes.  
“I’ve heard the carbonara is to die for, but these pizzas look fantastic.” Rich replied. After a few minutes of debating exactly what they were going to have, the waiter came over and took their order. Rob ordered the recommended carbonara, whilst Rich went for a chicken and BBQ pizza, claiming that the two would share, despite quiet protests from Rob. By the time the meals turned up, the two were only slightly tipsy from the alcohol they had consumed. Aside from a few comments here and there in regards to how good the food was, plus Rob’s complaints when Rich decided it would be a good idea to take a piece of his pizza, the two ate in silence. When they had both finished eating, the two sat awkwardly, sipping at their drinks, waiting for their waiter to return with the bill. “Don’t think about paying.” Rich said firmly, eyes locked to Rob’s own.

“Why not? I’m not letting you pay for the whole thing.” Rob replied, almost annoyed.

“Because you were sad. And I want you to be happy. So I’m gonna pay for you, so you’re still happy.” Rob couldn’t help but smile at Rich’s generosity. As he was about to reply, the waiter returned, placing the bill carefully on the table. Rich immediately reached over and grabbed the paper, reading the numbers. He carefully pulled out his wallet, and grabbed the total plus a generous tip for the waiter. “You don’t need to know how much this has cost us.” Rich mumbled.

“You mean how much it’s cost you, yeah?” Rich looked up from the bill to see Rob smirking, though clearly in a much better mind-set than he was before. Rich found himself laughing, which in turn made Rob laugh. Nobody could put a price on Rob’s laugh. Nobody.

“C’mon, let’s go.” Rich said, standing up and stretching. Rob did the same, and the two quickly found themselves outside in the cold autumn breeze. Rob almost instantly started to shiver.

“I really should have brought a jacket of some sort. I’m f-freezing.” Rob stuttered. He started walking down the footpath to the hotel, and didn’t seem to notice the lack of Rich next to him until he spoke.

“Wait up, Rob!” Rich had to break into a slight jog to catch up. He’d removed his thick jacket, and was carrying it on his arm. “You’re cold.” He placed the soft material over his shoulders, and Rob slipped his arms into the sleeves. It was slightly too big, but it was warm, and smelt of Rich. “I don’t want you to be cold.” The other mumbled, his voice becoming lost in the autumn air.

“But now you’ll be cold.” Rob said, hoping that Rich would take back his jacket, but also hoping he wouldn’t.

“It just means we have to get back to our room quicker!” Rich smirked. With a wink, he became speed walking back to the hotel, leaving Rob to jog after him instead. By the time they both arrived at the hotel, Rob was almost sweating, and Rich had broken into a fit of laughter for some unknown reason. They made their way inside the building and were almost knocked over by the immense warmth from inside. Rich patted himself down, cursing under his breath. “I don’t know where the key is.” Rob felt fear sweep over him, though realised that they would have been in Rich’s jacket. The one Rob was wearing. He explored both pockets, and found the silver instrument in the right pocket.

“Maybe because you gave me your jacket?” Rob said as they walked back to the room, dangling the key in front of Rich’s face. The other only laughed. As they reached their room, Rob unlocked the door and allowed it to swing open, allowing Rich to enter first. He did so quickly, and by the time Rob had closed and relocked the door, Rich’s clothes were thrown over the floor and the sound of the shower flooded his ears. Of course he’d get the warm shower. Rob contemplated if he was going to have a shower or not, but eventually settled for merely changing into some baggy, warm pieces of clothing that would keep him comforted throughout the night. About ten minutes later, Rich walked out of the bathroom, a snowy white towel wrapped around his waist, beads of water still present on his torso. Rob averted his eyes, partially due to the tightness that had suddenly started pulling in his pants, though also because he didn’t want to look his friend in the eye. Not after what happened with Misha. However, Rich had noticed this.

“C’mon, Robbie.” He sat down on the bed opposite Rob, running a separate towel he carried in on his arm over his hair. “Tell me what’s wrong. I’ve tried so hard to make you feel better today, because that’s what friends do.” Rob felt his spine shudder. He was in no way ready to actually address the situation that he was facing. But he knew that Rich wouldn’t let up. “Why did you get so worked up over the kiss?” The question took the younger by surprise. Though, in truth, he didn’t believe Rich was just going to leave the topic. He was clearly upset, and Rich was a friend who just wanted to make sure he was okay.  
“As I said, something’s happened to me.” He mumbled, shuffling awkwardly on his bed. He knew Rich wouldn’t take it as an answer, though his mouth would not allow an elaboration to escape his sealed lips.

“I know there’s more to it than that.” Rich switched from his bed to Rob’s, and wrapped his arm around the other’s shoulder, pulling him in, the skin-to-skin contact making Rob’s heart jump momentarily. “We’re best friends. You can talk to me about these things. Whatever they are.” Rob turned his head slightly, cautiously making eye contact with Rich.

“I know, I know. I just…” His voice trailed off. The two proceeded to sit in silence. Eventually, Rob started rubbing his eyes, trying to remove the tears that pricked at the corners of his eyes. A gentle shoulder squeeze reminded him that Rich was still there next to him, waiting to comfort him when the time arose. That time was now. The tears turned violent, making his body shake. Without saying anything, Rich wrapped both arms around him, forcing the other into a hug. The tears wouldn’t stop flowing. Sobs rocked his body, and his hands were at his face, shaking. He leaned into Rich’s body, muffling his face into his bare chest, trying to steady his breathing. Rob just needed to calm down. Rich began tracing patters into Rob’s back, somehow effectively calming his breathing. Not by much, but enough to allow the other to speak properly.

“I sorta…” Rob’s voice trailed off into a whisper.

“Sorry, Robbie. You’re gonna need to speak a little louder than that.” Rich smirked, though Rob didn’t raise his gaze from the floor to see it.

“I sorta have feelings for someone.” Rob held back the tears, though when his eyes slowly moved to see Rich’s reaction, the slack-jawed man only made him cry. Rich couldn’t even comfort the other by this point; he was in shock. Rob actually had feeling for someone? Snapping himself out of his mental cage, he started rubbing small circles on Rob’s back.

“What does that have to do with Misha?” Rich questioned. Rob sniffed and looked up at the older man, eyes wide and glossy from the tears. “You like Misha? I didn’t even know you were actually into guys, Rob.”

“No, no…” Rob’s voice trailed off again, this time to nothing. The two sat in silence, with Rich still rubbing small circles and Rob trying to not cry. Eventually, the younger piped up. “I feel as though by kissing Misha, I jeopardised my chance with the other.” He paused, catching his breath. “I just needed to apologise and run.”

“That’s not a good mind-set to have, Robbie.” Silence. Rich didn’t entirely blame him, but needed to know the details. “Who is it? Who’d you apologise to?” Without warning, Rob stood up, pushing away and ignoring Rich’s mild protests. He walked around the room, seemingly looking for something. Rich’s eyes followed the other as he paced, watching his eyes dart from the beds to the counter to the small coffee table near the couch. Rob only stopped walking around after what Rich deemed as hours, when in reality was only a few minutes. Rob stood near the couch, bending down to pick up something that had fallen underneath the furniture. A small yellow square; a used sticky note. He walked back to Rich and handed him the paper.

Rich took it carefully, not knowing entirely what it was going to say. As he opened and smoothed out the crumpled piece of paper, Rich could feel Rob’s eyes burning holes into his soul. It wasn’t the most comfortable experience. Rich’s heart stopped when he read the words. ‘I kissed Misha. Sorry.’ Hurriedly scribbled into the note in blue pen, it was the same note. The same note that had alerted Rich of why Rob wasn’t hanging around in their room that evening. The same note that had left panic in Rich’s heart, not knowing where his closest friend was or why he’d even bothered to tell him what had happened. “An apology.”

“Y-yeah.” Rob stuttered. He ran a hand through his hair, avoiding eye contact with the other man. Rich didn’t move nor say anything, which scared Rob. This was not going to end well. He stood in silence and watched Rich’s eyes focus solely on the piece of paper in his hands. Eventually, he piped up. “Are you gonna say something?” He mumbled. Rich looked up at the other, not showing any clear expression. He opened his mouth to speak, but stopped himself, thinking of the exact words to say. A small smile crept to the corners of his mouth.

“This is both a really weird coming out story and an even weirder way of telling someone you love them.” Rob was taken aback, shocked at how not seriously Rich was taking the situation.

“Shut up, Rich. This was supposed to be serious.” Rob’s voice hitched, hinting at the silent tears that welled in his eyes. This made Rich stand up. Rob shouldn’t have been scared, but God knows he was scared. Rich seemed to look through him; deeper than the almost sobbing idiot that stood in front of him. His hand brushed gently across Rob’s cheek, taking the other by surprise.

“I know it’s serious.” Rich had barely finished his sentence before he pressed his lips to Rob’s own. It was gentle, though a passionate sensation that Rob hadn’t experienced in a long time. However, it was short-lived, leaving Rob to suppress a groan of annoyance. Rich’s hand moved from Rob’s cheek to his hair, allowing his fingers to intertwine in the delicate strands. “You really thought that you were cheating on your feelings for me by kissing Misha?” Rich was smiling, clearly pleased with himself, though unlike his previous comment actually retained an air of seriousness.

“Y-yeah?” Rob stuttered. Suddenly, Rich ruffled the others hair, laughing at the shocked expression that Rob now wore. The quick change was very different from the soothing motions of Rich’s fingers intertwined in Rob’s hair. 

“You’re an idiot.” Rob couldn’t help but smile. It was true; he really was an idiot. Somehow gaining confidence, Rob leaned in and kissed the other, less gentle and more rough that Rich had done, though still with the same amount of uncountable passion. When he pulled away, he couldn’t help but laugh. Had he really been that stupid? To think that he was cheating on his own feelings? Rich’s voice pulled him back to reality. “You think we’re gonna make this work?”

“I’ve got a little bit of hope, Rich.”

“Me too.”

“You should probably get dressed. You’ll freeze.”

“Nah. I have you to keep me warm.”


	2. "Otters are my spirit animal."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was supposed to be a normal trip to the zoo.  
> A normal trip should not entail hidden kisses, a nervous fan and otters.  
> Well, maybe the otters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, I decided to write more of this fic. :')  
> It was originally intended to be a one-shot, but I really like the idea and have a lot of ideas for it. <3

Rob woke with a small yelp the next morning, flinging himself up and startling the now awake man next to him. “Robbie? What’s wrong?” Rich’s sleepy mumble barely escaped from the duvet that had been flung over his face in Rob’s panic, but was still heard.

“Why are you in my bed, Rich?” The question struck fear through Rich’s heart. Did his best friend not remember last night? He fumbled around in his mind looking for an answer, but Rob cut him off before he could even open his mouth. “Why are you in my bed and naked?” After the events of the previous night, Rich hadn’t bothered in getting changed, and throughout the night his towels had found their way to the floor.

“Don’t you remember last night?” Rich replied, turning himself over to face Rob, covering his junk with the duvet, hoping it would relax the other even a tiny bit.

“L-last night?” Rob stuttered, directing his gaze away from Rich’s own. What he believed to have happened last night was a dream. Wasn’t it? In an attempt to clear his now fogged mind, he managed to choke out another question. “Rich, did we have sex?” Rich’s jaw dropped.

“No! Of course we didn’t!” Rich responded. He sat up, almost matching Rob’s height. His hand ran across the other’s cheek, though as he pulled away the slight warmth was replaced with a gentle kiss. “I think that you think that last night didn’t happen. Because it did.” He cupped Rob’s face in his hands. “It feels like a dream, I know. But it wasn’t. It isn’t.” Rob raised his gaze, meeting Rich’s own. He didn’t know how to reply in words, so instead pressed his lips against the other. Rich couldn’t help but laugh, making Rob pull away.

“What’s so funny? If you were telling the truth, you should have been okay with that.” Rich only laughed more. “Fine.” Rob pulled himself out of bed and headed to the shower, ignoring Rich’s now scared pleas to come back so he could apologise. The sound of the hot water drowned out the noises Rich made, and the feeling of the water cascading down Rob’s body relaxed him. Rich on the other hand grabbed some clothes and threw them on, not overly caring what he looked like. He was hoping for a lazy day; hoping for a day that would allow him to get to know Rob on a deeper level. Yeah, the two were the best of friends, but that didn’t mean that Rob didn’t have secrets. He himself had secrets that Rob didn’t know about, or at the very least hoped that he didn’t know about. The sound of the water stopping shook him from his thoughts.

“Hey, Rob. You okay? You look a little sick?” Rich asked, commenting on Rob’s flushed face. The younger walked towards him, tying his gown around his waist. Rob forcefully grabbed Rich’s collar and pulled him up from the bed, pressing his lips against the other’s. Rich melted into the kiss, though it was short lived as Rob pulled away and threw Rich back onto the bed. He couldn’t help but laugh; trying to supress any giggles was an extremely difficult thing to do.

“Can you stop laughing?” Rob mumbled seriously. Though as his gaze met Rich’s, the older laughed once more, earning an eye roll from Rob.

“I’m sorry, Rob. I just find it amusing that you couldn’t even consider talking to me yesterday, and now you’re solving your problems by kissing me.” Rich broke out into laugher, which made Rob crack a smile. Leaving the other to roll around on his bed cackling, Rob pulled out an array of clothes, though ended up settling with the most simple he could find, almost rivalling Rich’s simplicity. By the time he’d gotten dressed, Rich was standing at the door, beckoning for Rob to come forward with a simple finger wiggle. Rob was only happy to oblige, walking over carefully hoping that Rich wouldn’t pull any sort of prank on him, or take him completely by surprise. When he stood mere inches away from the other, Rich grabbed Rob’s hands and placed them around his own neck, draping over his shoulders. Rich had a wide smile, though was not laughing like he was before. It was a genuine smile, and Rob mirrored it with his own. Rich’s voice hitched as he thought of something to say, though settled with a simple three word phrase no louder than a whisper. “I love you.”

Rich’s lips crashed against Rob’s; a war for dominance that neither wanted to lose. Rich managed to sneak his tongue through the barrier, earning a quiet moan of contentment from the other. Rob’s fingers ran through Rich’s hair, pulling him closer. Both prayed that this wouldn’t end, though both knew that it would. Though neither expected it to end with the sound of an opening door. “What are you two doing?” Rob was the first to pull away, turning to face the newcomer. Matt leant against the doorframe, forcing himself to not laugh nor smile at the situation in front of him.

“W-well, y-you see, M-matt…” Rob’s voice trailed off as he tried to think of some sort of excuse. However, Matt’s now uncontained laugh cut him off.

“Why on Earth would you leave your door unlocked? Anyone could have walked in on you two finally acting on your feelings for each other. Anyone! It could have turned out disastrous.” Matt’s laugh was contagious, and both Rob and Rich found themselves laughing along with him. Rob pulled his arms away from Rich, knowing that his face was bright red from embarrassment. “Anyway, I came over to ask if you wanted to tag along to the zoo? Mish, Jen and Jared asked me to ask you.” Matt looked up and down at the two standing opposite him. “I mean, if you have other plans like cuddling or fucking, I’ll leave and tell them that you two were doing things.” Rich looked at Rob for his answer, though replied before the other could say anything.

“Of course we’ll tag along!”

“Great! We’ll meet you down in the lobby in about 10 or so.”

Matt left, shutting the door behind him, though leaving a now emotional Rob finding comfort in Rich’s arms. He whispered quiet words as sobs rocked Rob’s body. Rich knew it should have said no. He knew that Rob wouldn’t be able to cope seeing Misha so soon. Though he still believed Rob was being a bit of a child for getting so worked up over Misha’s actions, he didn’t want to see his closest friend in tears. Over anything. “You’ll be okay. Just ignore him but don’t be a dick about it.” This made Rob jerk his head up to meet Rich’s gaze. His eyes were filled with unfathomable support. Misha was a friend, and Rob was going to be able to cope with seeing him again.

Hopefully.

By the time Rob and Rich made it to the lobby, Misha, Jensen and Matt were standing around, waiting for the other two to show up. “Finally!” Matt’s cry could be heard on the other side of the building, though was only directed at the two newcomers. “It took you long enough. When Jared gets back from the bathroom, we’ll head on out.” The youngest threw his arms around both Rob and Rich, pulling them into a tight hug. Well, as tight as he could make it with three people. The all too familiar laugh from Jared signalled that the group was ready to leave. Matt and Jared led the pack, giggling to each other about how excited they were, with Misha and Jen walking side by side in the middle, and Rob and Rich taking the rear. Something that Rich did often. As they walked out of the sliding doors, Rich gave Rob a gentle, supportive squeeze on the shoulder, praying that his more-than-friend friend would be okay.

The zoo was surprisingly uncrowded for the time of day. Jensen had offered to pay for everyone, though lunch was up to the individuals. The six men crowded around the ticket booth, ultimately half scaring the girl inside. “H-hello, gentlemen. Just the six, I presume?” She said, trying to hide her stutter. Jensen nodded, and within a few swift movements of his credit card, the six tickets lay in his hands.

“Thank you…” His voice trailed off as he glanced down, reading the small name badge that adorned her vest. “Lily.” It was clear that she tried to hold back a scream, though a small yelp managed to escape, earning strange looks from the men surrounding her.

“Hey, Lily?” The voice came from Misha. “When do you start your tours?”

“W-well, uh, the zoo starts the tours at 10:30.” Lily mumbled in reply, earning a snicker from Misha.

“No, no, no. I mean your tours specifically. Unless your badge lies.” Misha’s smirk led Lily to look down at her own badge, feeling almost confused. “Lily Woodhill. Tour Guide.” Misha said as she read the words herself.

“Oh. Y-yeah, I start the first tour. 10:30.”

Rob looked down at his watch. 10:00 exactly. And he was starving, as he and Rich had left before breakfast. 

“C-can we go and eat, and then go on the tour when it’s time?” Rob’s voice piped up from the back of the group. Rich nodded enthusiastically, agreeing. “I mean, if nobody objects.”

“Yeah, sure, I’m cool with that.” Misha said in reply, turning to face Rob. The two made eye contact, though Rob broke away quickly. He could still feel Misha’s gaze burn through him, though when he felt Rich’s arm slink around his waist to comfort him, his awkwardness melted away into the touch. After saying their goodbyes to Lily, the group made their way to the café. 

By the time everyone had their fill of hot chips and extremely non-breakfast foods, it was almost 10:30. Misha rose from the table first, gaining everyone’s attention. “So, we’ve got not very long to get back to the entrance.” He rubbed his hands together, a smirk appearing across his face. “Last one to the entrance pays for lunch!” With that, Misha bolted. A clear groan came from Jared, who had eaten more than the starved Rob, though he managed to keep up with the less full Jensen, and both were followed by Matt. Rich looked at Rob, a glint of mischievousness in his eyes. He began to run, trailing extremely far behind from the others, though stopped when he realised that Rob wasn’t running after him.

“C’mon, Robbie. We can make it competition between ourselves.” Rich called out over his shoulder, though Rob still didn’t run. Rich turned to face the other, arms crossed. “Seriously, Rob. Lighten up. I know Misha’s making you uncomfortable, but we’re here to have fun.” Rob sighed, making Rich feel as though he’d said something completely wrong. Was he too blunt?

“I don’t mind paying.” Rob said as he approached. “Especially if I’m paying for you.” He giggled at his own words, making Rich smile in reply. He knew Rob was only trying to put on a brave face, but it made him happy to see someone he loved smiling. 

“I really do love you, Rob.” Rich whispered as they approached the group. The absence of a reply weighed down Rich’s heart, though the feelings were shoved to the side when Rob pushed him towards the group. Forcefully. Rich landed face-first into the concrete below, earning a laugh from everyone around them, though the group laughed harder than everyone else. Mainly Matt, who clung to Jared’s arm to stop himself from falling over. 

“I wanted to lose. I don’t mind paying for everyone. It’ll save Rich’s wallet.” Rob stated, trying to contain his smile. He helped Rich up from the ground, though almost fell over himself when the other forced all of his weight onto the shorter man, eventually bringing Rob into a tight hug. 

“C’mon, guys. Lily’s waiting for us!” Misha called out. He had been the closest to tour meeting place, and Lily had gestured to him that she was on the clock, but wouldn’t leave without them. Jared, Jensen, Matt and Rich all walked out towards the female quickly, leaving Rob trailing behind. As usual. Misha stood waiting for the other, a gentle smile across his face. As Rob tried to pass the younger man, a hand gripped his shoulder, forcing him to stop. “You look dashing today.” Misha whispered, sending not necessarily good shivers down Rob’s spine. Without warning, his lips pressed gently to the other’s cheek, holding it for a short moment before pulling away. Nobody saw. Nobody saw except for Rich. 

“T-thanks, I guess.” Rob mumbled. Misha laughed and followed the others, leaving Rob standing there feeling extremely unsure on what had just happened. He blinked his thoughts away and joined the rest of the group, picking to stay extremely close to Rich.

“Now that we’re all here, let’s begin!”

The tour went smoothly, with the other couple accompanying them leaving when their children started to complain. After they left, the group started to have some fun with Lily, asking her questions like “How old are you?”, “Why do you work at a zoo?” and “How many guys have you slept with?”. When the fresh out of college with a teaching degree 24 year old replied to the last question with “None.”, an audible gasp from the group could be heard miles away. All except for Rob and Rich, who had taken place standing near the otters, gazing down at the small creatures below.

“Otters are my spirit animal.” Rich mumbled to himself, a clear smile across his face.

“I know, Rich. We all know.” Rob replied. He placed his hand on the other’s shoulder, making his head turn. The two broke into a fit of laughter. 

“Well, this is the end of the tour, guys.” Lily said, earning a groan from the group. “C’mon, guys. I’m not that important. You can have more fun without me.” She looked at her silver watch and her amusement turned to panic. “Shit, I’m gonna be late for my next shift.” She turned and started to run, though stopped herself only metres away. “I hope I can see you guys again. One day.” She called out. Misha walked towards her and wrapped her in a hug. Whilst he was clearly telling her something, the others were completely unsure of what. He handed her a piece of paper and walked back to the group, a smirk plastered on his face.

“So? What was it?” Jensen piped up.

“Just an autograph. Calm down.” Misha said, laughing at himself. Jensen rolled his eyes in reply. “What are we doing now?”

“Maybe we could jus-“

“Maybe we can split up and go and look at what we want to look at now?” Jared asked, cutting off Rob’s input. The group nodded collectively, making Jared feel extremely proud of himself. “C’mon, Matt!” He said, grabbing the younger’s arm and pulling him away from the group. The two were like children, and after some debate, Jensen agreed to follow them, to make sure they didn’t get into trouble.

“I guess that leaves me with you guys.” Misha said, turning to face Rob and Rich.

“Y-yeah. We’re cool with that.” Rob stuttered, though hoped Misha didn’t pick up on his fear.

“Great! Where do we want to go first?”

The three trailed around the zoo for only an hour before Rob started to feel sick. He found a bench and sat down, leaving Misha to fawn over the red pandas in front of them. Rich, however, sat next to him, placing his hand on his shoulder. “You okay, Rob?”

“N-no. I think I n-need water.” Rob mumbled.

“You’re getting old, Rob.”

“I’m y-younger than you!”

The two laughed, though Rob’s broke into coughing. Misha turned around, and saw Rob shoo away Rich to get him some water. He took Rich’s place, wrapping his arm around Rob’s neck, placing his head gently against the other’s own. “What’s wrong?” He mumbled into Rob’s hair. Another cough.

“J-just a little dehydrated. N-nothing I can’t handle.” Rob stuttered. He tried to shuffle away from Misha’s grip, but the other held him even tighter.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Misha whispered, running a hand down Rob’s cheek. He managed to shake his head, though the other only rolled his eyes. “C’mon, Rob. We both know I can help.”

“Unless y-you’re getting me water, t-there’s nothing you can do. And R-Rich is getting me water.”

“Hush.” With that, Misha pressed his lips gently to Rob’s own. It was such a foreign feeing, though Rob couldn’t find the strength to pull away. Mainly because Misha refused to move his arm from around him, pulling him closer and closer, forcing any gap between them to become non-existent. Rob found himself kissing back, harder, hungry for what he knew he couldn’t have. It still felt unnatural, just as it had done before, but at the same time was different. His tongue slipped through Misha’s lips, taking the other by surprise. He didn’t complain. The two fought for dominance, earning Misha a quiet moan from Rob. Their momentary bliss was short-lived, as the sound of laughter forced Misha to pull away.

“I did not think I’d be seeing this today.” Jared said in amongst his laughter. Matt was gripping to his arm for what appeared to be dear life, cackling at the scene in front of him. Misha stood up from the bench awkwardly and slowly moved away from the group, ducking into the toilets.

“So, Rob. I thought you had the hots for Rich?” Matt questioned, attempting to contain his laughter. Rob shuffled slightly, becoming extremely uncomfortable.

“I d-do. Misha k-kissed me. I didn’t w-want it.” Rob stuttered. Suddenly, Rich sat down next to him, handing him a bottle of water. “T-thank you.” He muttered, taking the plastic and guzzling the cool liquid.

“Misha kissed you? Again? Or are we talking about yesterday?” Rich asked, trying to gain eye contact with Rob, whose eyes were facing the ground. He gulped.

“Just before you showed up.” Rob whispered. He could feel Rich’s gaze burning into him, but didn’t look at the other. A hand gently squeezed his shoulder, and he knew that Rich was trying to comfort him.

“Don’t look so down, Rob. You were enjoying it.” Jared said, not entirely understand how serious the situation was for both Rob and Rich. Rich looked up at the younger man curiously, before looking back at the one sitting next to him.

“Enjoying it? Yesterday, the idea of being anywhere near him made you feel sick.” Rich said, his voice becoming less comforting and more confronting.

“He’s a good kisser, I’ll admit that. But that doesn’t mean I wanted to.” Rob retorted. He lifted his gaze to meet Rich’s own, but was met with silent accusations.

“You’re not just stringing me along, yeah? This isn’t just a ploy to break my heart?” Rich asked, almost finding tears welling in his eyes. Rob placed his hand on Rich’s shoulder, mirroring the other’s actions.

“Of course I’m not, Rich. You’re important to me.” His hand lifted from his shoulder and pressed gently to Rich’s cheek. “I just hope I’m important to you too.” His pressed a gentle kiss to the other’s lips, barely lingering.

Jared and Matt stood there, watching the scene play out in front of them. Whilst Matt had known of their secret feelings for each other, he didn’t know anything of Misha’s previous kiss. Jared, on the other hand, knew of the initial kiss, but had no idea of the feelings shared between Rob and Rich. The two shared a quick glance, followed by a soft smile. 

“If he comes anywhere near you again I’ll rip his head off.” Rich stated. It made Rob laugh, though, forcing an eye-roll from Rich. He was trying to be serious.

“Yeah, I’ll be sure to tell him if I gain the confidence to actually confront him about all this.” Rob replied.

“You don’t have to. I know I should’ve stopped.” Misha’s voice forced everyone to turn in his direction. He stood beside Jensen, who looked like he’d been through Hell and back. His fingers ran through his hair as he tried to pick out the leaves and sticks that had become tangled within. “It was originally just a dare from Jensen, but I took it too far. Sorry, Rob.” He said sincerely. Rob could see the sun catching on the drops of water that pricked at the corners of Misha’s eyes. He knew that he was being completely honest. The older man stood up and placed his hands on Misha’s shoulders.

“I forgive you, Mish. Just don’t do it again.” Just as he finished his sentence, Misha leaned down and kissed his forehead. Rob blinked blankly, not completely understand what had just happened.

“That shall be it until I get off my face drunk.” Misha said, making Rob less tense. The two couldn’t help but laugh. It was a massive misunderstanding. That’s all it really was. When Rob finally took his hands off Misha, the group came to a mutual decision to head back to the hotel, work out where they were going to eat, and then head on out. The walk back to the hotel was much more relaxing than the walk to the zoo. Rob and Misha even had a conversation, much to the disinterest of Rich. As the two talked, an elbow in Rich’s side jerked his attention. 

“Can I, uh, talk to you when we get back?” Matt asked quietly, knowing that the others would hear, but wanted to make it less obvious. Rich nodded in reply, hoping that Matt had the right idea.

As they entered the hotel, Rich ducked off with Matt, leaving Rob and Misha continuing their conversation about how high ducks can fly. “What’d you want to talk about?” Rich asked, becoming more and more curious about what was going to happen. Matt only smirked as they came to his room.

“I think you know, Rich.” He muttered, lifting the other’s chin with his thumb, lust reflective in his eyes.

“It has been a while.” Rich whispered in reply. He placed his hands on Matt’s waist. The taller opened the door quickly, shoving the other inside before closing the door behind them. “As long as we’re quick, yeah? We don’t want anyone walking in.” Matt could only smirk in reply.

He pushed the other against the wall, gripping his hair tightly. “Fuck, Rich.” He moaned as Rich’s tongue devoured Matt’s mouth, needing to claim every inch as his own. This tended to happen after every convention, meeting, small gathering that Rich and Matt were involved with. The two would find themselves in one of their rooms, or the same if they were sharing, and blatantly just fucked each other senseless, usually leaving one not able to walk straight the following morning. Though if Rob was tagging along, Rich tended to keep his hands away from the younger man. He might have snuck a kiss in an empty corridor or on the off-chance that they were alone in the green room at a con. The cough from the door made Rich pull away from Matt quickly, flicking his head sharply towards the noise.

“Oh.”

Rob was completely and utterly visibly broken. The tears welled in his eyes, and the other two men could see it. He choked back a sob and wiped his eyes, trying to remove the emotions. Neither Matt nor Rich said anything, knowing full well that anything they said would make Rob bawl. Or worse. Eventually, Rob piped up, breaking the silence.

“Just like this morning, I guess. Don’t leave the door unlocked. Anyone can walk in. It could turn out disastrous.”

Rich’s apologetic cries were drowned out by the sound of the hotel door slamming.


	3. “Why’d you kiss me?”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don't text Rob when he's upset.  
> You won't get a reply.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is attempted rape in this chapter, and it is mentioned a few times after the incident. A warning in case this is something you'd rather avoid. It's not written in super-duper explicit detail though, if that's a comfort.
> 
> Also, there are a lot of texts and a lot of straight dialogue without narration.
> 
> Also also, there's a whole lotta Rob and a whole lot less of everyone else. Just for this chapter. :')

Rob’s heart was racing. He rushed back to his and Rich’s room, packed up his bags and left. Yeah, they were heavy and there were multiple, but this was too much for him. As he walked into the lobby, Misha stood up from the couch he sat on. After Rob had told him he’d go and round up Matt and Rich, Misha sat down and was presumably on Twitter. As usual. He was the only one prepared out of the group. Rob didn’t stop to explain himself, and barged past the younger man’s questions. Though when Misha grabbed the handle of one of Rob’s suitcases and made him fall to the ground, he knew he’d have to talk. “What happened?” His voice was filled with concern. Rob felt a tear trail down his cheek, though it was quickly destroyed by Misha’s thumb. “Please don’t cry.”

Rob lifted himself up from the ground, sighing. Misha pulled him into his arms, forcing the other into a hug. “Please, please, please Rob. Tell me what happened.” He pleaded. Rob looked away, not wanting to make eye contact with the other. He felt so stupid. First he was avoiding Misha like he was the plague because he for some reason felt as though he was cheating on Rich, despite the fact that they weren’t dating or anything more than friends. Then he was acting all buddy-buddy with Misha, like nothing had ruined his emotional state. Of course Rich would find pleasure with Matt. Why would he even think that they were going to have anything special? “Please, Rob.” Misha’s words jerked him from his thoughts.

“I walked in on Rich and Matt making out and I’m a little upset.” The words seemed to slur together from Rob’s panic, but Misha understood. The older man stood up, gently pushing the other away.

“That’s no reason to just up and leave.” Misha said softly, stilling sitting on the floor. Suddenly, an extremely panicked Rich came bolting up to the two, followed by a cautious and shy Matt. 

“Robbie, please let me explain.” Rich’s plea was met with a glare. “There’s a perfectly good reason to this. I’m not that much of a dick.” Rob couldn’t physically speak. Even looking at Rich was making him uncomfortable. In a swift movement, he grabbed his suitcases and bag and walked out the sliding doors. As he turned the corner, he saw Rich on the ground clearly having trouble breathing, though refused to stop.

It wasn’t like Rob to leave a friend like this. It hurt. It hurt him more knowing that Rich was so willing to help Rob when he was an emotional wreck from Misha’s kiss. Though it hurt him the most knowing that Rich was so willing to go and make out with someone younger and more attractive than Rob thought he was, after confessing his feelings for his best friend. Rob truly didn’t believe Rich was that much of a dick, but he couldn’t stand being around him. Not right now, anyway.

Rob had made his way to the park near the hotel. The same park that Rich found him at the day before. He sat at the same bench, propping his feet up on one of his suitcases. The sun was high in the sky, and mirrored the 12:03 that both his phone and watched showed. He decided to scroll through Twitter, praying that nobody would interrupt him. He cursed under his breath when he saw the text from Rich flash on the screen in his hands. 

**Danger Bottom 12:04 pm**  
_rob please let me explain._

Rob locked his phone in a split second. He was not ready to talk to Rich, and knew he wouldn’t be for a long time. His phone buzzed again, making him release an audible groan. Rob knew that this was going to continue until they knew he was okay, but still didn’t reply. They could suffer.

 **Danger Bottom 12:05 pm**  
_robbie please. i just need you to listen._

 **Danger Bottom 12:14 pm**  
_we’re all scared something’s happened._

 **Danger Bottom 12:21 pm**  
_just message me back so i know you’re okay._

 **Danger Bottom 12:23 pm**  
_i really hope nothing bad’s happened._

 **Danger Bottom 12:47 pm**  
_you could be dead and i wouldn’t know it._

 **Danger Bottom 1:04 pm**  
_i just want to explain myself, rob._

 **Danger Bottom 1:19 pm**  
_my phone’s gonna die. please be okay._

 **Mattie Cohen 1:56 pm**  
_Rich’s phone’s dead. Text me?_

 **Mattie Cohen 2:11 pm**  
_Rob, please. Don’t overreact about this. There is an explanation._

 **Mattie Cohen 2:51 pm**  
_It was my fault._

 **Mattie Cohen 3:01 pm**  
_I mean, Rich wanted it, but it was my fault._

 **Mattie Cohen 3:03 pm**  
_Don’t blame him._

 **Mattie Cohen 3:20 pm**  
_Misha and Jen are out looking for you. Please be okay._

 **Mattie Cohen 3:20 pm**  
_If they find you, please don’t run._

 **Mishmash 4:05 pm**  
_Jen and I saw you at the park. I convinced him to not say anything to the group. You need some time alone, and I get that. Just please, please find somewhere to stay the night. Come back tomorrow and punch Rich in the face if you need. Just stay safe. x_

Rob smiled at Misha’s message. Though he felt fear in the pit of his stomach, praying that Jensen really wouldn’t give away his position. He knew Misha wouldn’t, but was unsure of what Jen’s actions could entail. The next message he received made him relax, however.

 **Jensen Snackles 4:14 pm**  
_yeah hey hi rob. mish and i saw you but don’t worry we won’t tell anyone. don’t die please._

 **That Moose 4:38 pm**  
_I’ve literally had to hold Matt for the past hour to stop him from crying. Please get your ass back here ASAP._

 **Mattie Cohen 4:52 pm**  
_Mish and Jen said they couldn’t find you. I’m worried._

 **Mattie Cohen 4:56 pm**  
_Rich has locked himself in his room. I’d say childish, but he’s pretty broken. He’s taking it out on himself. We all know you care about him, and I’m not trying to guilt trip you into coming back to the hotel, but I think you’re the only one who’ll be able to help him._

 **Mishmash 5:19 pm**  
_Also, try not to drink tonight. We don’t want you doing anything super-duper stupid. Text me when you find somewhere to stay, yeah? You don’t have to send me an address or an obvious location, just tell me you’re okay. Please. xx_

 **Mattie Cohen 5:30 pm**  
_Misha seems really panicked too. I fucking hope you’re okay._

Rob sat at the bench for what seemed like forever. 6 hours could be forever to some, but with the constant buzzing of his phone, he knew that his patience was wearing thin. He glanced up from his phone to come face to face with a brilliant orange and peach cascading over him. The sunset was beautiful. It was still early, and had a while to go before everything got dark. However, Rob had no idea where he was going to spend the night. The closest hotel was the one he was staying at, and he didn’t know of any others. He could potentially sneak in and take another room away from Rich’s. Hell, he could even find where Misha and Jen’s room is and sneak in there for the night. Though Rob knew he wouldn’t do either of those things. A quiet scream shook him from his thoughts.

“Get off of me!” A distinctly female voice rang out. Rob flicked his head around, searching for the source. Another scream alerted him to the dumpsters edging the carpark opposite the park. Despite being extraordinarily loud, the screams didn’t attract anyone else. Rob lifted his feet from the suitcase and made his way towards the noise, not overly caring if someone happened to come along and steal his belongings. This girl’s life was in danger. As he made his way towards the bins, another high-pitched scream rung out.

“Shut up, or this will be a lot worse for you.” A gruff male’s voice. Adrenaline kicked in, and Rob made a physically appearance to the pair. He was small and scrawny in comparison to the male in front of him, but managed to not care. Her shirt and bra were already removed, and he was gripping her tightly; marks were sure to form by the next morning. “And what do you want, old man?”

“Let her go.” Rob managed to say, voice shaking slightly. “I want you to let her go.” The other male let out a loud laugh before dropping the woman to the ground.

“Fine.” The other snarled. He looked down at the woman at his feet. “Next time Daddy’s not here to interrupt, we’re gonna have lots of fun.” With that, the man barged past Rob, almost knocking him over. He watched as the other walked off, hatred boiling inside of him. Who in their right mind would actually try and do something like that to a helpless young lady? Rob turned back to face the girl, cautiously watching as she threw her shirt over herself.

“Lily, right? The one that toured us around the zoo?” She turned around slowly, her hair pooling around her face. She was so much more different to the upbeat yet nervous character Rob had met earlier in the day. She nodded slowly.

“Y-yeah. Thanks f-for saving my life R-Rob.” Lily mumbled. He smiled softly.

“It was no trouble. Though if it’s okay, I’d love for you to do something in return.” Rob asked cautiously. Her skin turned ghostly white. “Nothing bad, I promise. I just need a little favour.” Lily seemed to relax slightly, though seemed to be very on edge. 

“What do you n-need?” She took a few steps forward. Rob opened his arms, gesturing for a hug. It was all Lily needed for her to break down and cry. Her arms wrapped around his waist, and her face rested upon his shoulder. He pressed his lips to her temple, hoping to calm her down even the tiniest bit. It seemed to work for a short moment, though the sobs quickly became worse. Eventually, Lily’s breathing started to slow and her sobs became less, allowing Rob to reply to her question.

“I need a place to stay for the night.” Lily pulled away and looked at him, shocked and curious. “I got into a bit of a fight and needed to leave.” She smiled warmly at him, and squeezed his arm gently.

“It’s okay. I only have the one bed, but I don’t mind sleeping on the couch.” She laughed. Despite what had happened, she managed to laugh. Rob laughed too. “Where’s your stuff?” Lily questioned. Panic washed over Rob.

“Shit!” He exclaimed as he crossed the street, leaving Lily to follow. As he reached the bench, the panic subsided, and he let out a sigh of relief. His stuff was in the same place as it was when he left to rescue Lily. “Thank God it’s all still here.” He muttered as he grabbed his suitcases. As he tried to grab the bag, Lily took it from him.

“I’m not the strongest, especially with what I’ve just been through, but I want to help.” She smiled. Rob smiled too. It was contagious. “Follow me. I only live about two blocks away.” And he did. As they walked, Rob told Lily everything that’d happened over the past two days; from Misha kissing him, to him overreacting, to him walking in on Matt and Rich. Eventually they reached the rundown, almost abandoned apartment. It wasn’t the most appealing from the front, though when Rob stepped inside, he became almost overwhelmed with how much of a home it was. Pictures were strung up everywhere, of what appeared to be family, friends, and even…

“That’s me.” Rob said, looking up at the framed pictures above the fairly small television situated across from the plush couch. His photo was in between Rich’s and Misha’s, and two from Matt’s. He turned back to meet Lily’s gaze, though her eyes were firmly planted to the ground, and the blush across her cheeks was unmistakable. 

“I have photos of everyone who I deem important to me up on the walls. The Supernatural cast is important to me.” Rob could only smile at her comment. There were very few things that felt better than being important to someone. “I can take it down if it makes you uncomfortable.” She mumbled.

“No, no it’s okay. It was just a surprise.” Rob replied. Lily giggled and ran a hand through her copper hair, trying calm herself down. Suddenly, a vibration came from Rob’s pocket. His phone. He tried to ignore it, but an almost immediate second buzz made him reconsider. Then a third. By the fourth, he pulled it out, and upon seeing it to be Misha’s number on the screen as a phone call, answered. “Hey, Misha.” Rob said, sitting down on the couch. Lily made her way to what Rob assumed was her room to give him some privacy.

“Hey, Rob. You okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. You remember Lily from the zoo?”

“I do, but you being safe is a little more important than her right now.”

“I saved her from being raped and possibly murdered.” The line went silent.

“What?”

“Yeah, I know. I’m at her place. I was going to text you soon. I just got here.”

“It’s okay. As long as you’re safe.” A mumble came from the other side, peaking Rob’s curiosity. “Jensen wants to talk. Is that okay?”

“As long as he doesn’t rat me out to the others, yeah.” Rob laughed at his comment, making Misha laugh too.

“Alright, I’ll put him on.”

“Okay.”

“Hi, Rob.”

“Hey, Jen.”

“How you feeling?”

“Still emotionally destroyed. You?”

“Pissed off as fuck.” Jensen’s change in tone shocked Rob. “I’ve had to deal with Jared being distraught because Matt’s distraught because Rich’s distraught because you wouldn’t listen to his reasoning.” Rob felt a shiver down his spine. Was Jensen siding with Rich now? “I don’t blame you. I would have done the exact same thing as you.” Rob let out the breath he didn’t know he was holding.

“Thanks, Jen. That means a lot to hear.”

“I hope it does. I’ll put Misha back on.”

“Alright. Have a good night.”

“You too, Rob.” Jensen passed the phone back to Misha.

“Just stay safe. For all of us.”

“Of course I will, Misha.”

“Thank you. Sleep well.”

“You too.”

The call ended with Misha making a variety of kissing noises, leaving both Rob and Jensen’s echo to laugh about it long after the call had ended. He shoved the phone back into his pocket, praying for no more interruptions from his friends. And others. Lily’s footsteps made Rob turn around. She’d changed to what looked like pyjamas.

“I hope it’s okay that I got changed. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.” She mumbled.

“It’s fine, Lily.” As Rob spoke, she moved and sat next to him, arms folded. The two sat in silence for a while, until Lily turned on the television. The news flashed up, though Rob paid no attention to it. He turned to the other next to him. “What did Misha give you? He said it was just an autograph, but you never know with him.” Rob laughed softly at his comment, making Lily smile.

“It was an autograph, yeah, but also a phone number.” Rob’s eyes widened in shock. Surely Misha wouldn’t go giving his number to any old stranger? Well, he knew Lily, but not well. 

“Maybe he wants you as an extra next season?” Lily laughed. “I’m serious. He seemed to like you.”

“I can’t act for shit.” The two laughed. “We seem to make each other laugh a lot.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Rob replied. Suddenly, his stomach made an odd gurgling sound. “Have you eaten? Because I haven’t, and if it’s no trouble…” His voice trailed off, glancing at Lily.

“Is pizza okay?” She asked. Rob nodded enthusiastically, earning yet another giggle from Lily. “Good. I’ll go order. Is meat-lovers okay? It’s all I really eat in terms of pizza.” He nodded again, and she exited the room, looking for her phone. Rob relaxed into the couch until another buzz of his phone made him shuffle and remove it from his pocket.

 **Danger Bottom 6:13 pm**  
_okay my phone’s charged a bit now. i can’t leave my room. everything’s my fault. you better be fucking okay. i don’t think i can live knowing you’re not._

Rob put his phone away once more. Rich was getting more and more on his nerves with every message he received. When Lily entered the room again, Rob put the thought of Rich out of his mind. She sat back down in the same place with a heavy sigh.

“How are you holding up?” Rob asked. She turned to him, and it was clear that she was close to breaking down.

“Yeah, not too badly.” Lily said shakily. Rob cocked an eyebrow, and Lily broke down. She curled up next to Rob, sobbing, without waiting for an invitation. He didn’t care. He wrapped his arms around the young lady, pulling her closer. With each sob, he felt his heart breaking more and more; nobody should have to go through this. “I c-could have died.” She whispered into Rob’s shirt. “I could be dead now.”

“But you’re not.” Rob whispered in reply, running his fingers through her hair. “You’re here, and that’s the main thing.” Her eyes met his; sadness and fear met with kindness and protection. Lily looked away quickly, however, not wanting to make anything too awkward between them. Rob carefully lifted her chin up with one hand and wiped away the tears with the other. “It’s okay, Lily.” He breathed. Without any warning, his lips pressed lightly to her own. Not as a sign of love, but as a sign of an oddly close friendship. As he pulled away, Lily let out a high-pitched yelp. Shock. “Sorry.” Rob mumbled. As Lily started to reply, the doorbell to the apartment rung out. Lily stood up and rushed to the door, wiping her eyes and proceeding to make small talk with the delivery guy. She returned moments later with a single pizza.

“I could only afford the one.” Lily mumbled as she placed the box gently on the coffee table.

“I would have paid.” Rob replied. Lily’s face flushed white. “What’s wrong?”

“I’d never ask for you to pay, Rob. You’re a little too cool for that.” She said, taking her seat next to Rob. She opened the box before cursing under her breath. “Do you want cutlery?” Rob shook his head. “Good. I only own two spoons and a fork.” His eyes widened at her comment. “What? I can barely afford the place let alone cutlery.”

“And yet you spend your money on pizza?” He retorted, cocking an eyebrow.

“It was a special occasion. I have the Rob Benedict in my dump of a house.” Lily replied, taking a bite out of a slice of pizza.

“I guess…” His voice trailed off as he too took a bite from the pizza. They ate in almost silence, with the sound of the television being the only source of sound. When the box was empty, Lily took it to the bin outside, leaving Rob inside. His phone buzzed suddenly, jolting him. He pulled it from his pocket and read the message.

 **Jensen Snackles 6:55 pm**  
_misha said jared’s been in matt’s room since you left. do you think there’s anything between them??? idk i’m curious though._

Ron held back a snort. Matt and Jared? At least he wouldn’t be the only one heartbroken. 

**Rob Beneduct 6:56 pm**  
_I don’t know. I really don’t. With how cuddly they can be, I wouldn’t be shocked._

He smiled as he put his phone away, watching Lily as she walked back inside. She walked over and stood in front of Rob, arms folded and not making eye contact. “Do you wanna go to bed?” She asked.

“N-no?” Rob questioned. “It’s not even 7?”

“I know. But with what you’ve been through today, sleep might be good.” She replied. Rob’s gaze moved to the floor. She had a point.

“Yeah, maybe you’re right. Granted you’ve been through much worse.” He managed a smile, which made Lily smile back. She held back a giggle as she showed him to her room. It was tiny, though somehow managed to fit a double bed. Even if it did span wall to wall and left no room for anything else aside a small closet.

“Just call out if you need anything.” She said, turning around and making her way out of the room.

“Wait, Lily!” Rob called out, making her turn around. “Don’t I get to at least attempt to argue with you so I can sleep on the couch?” She laughed.

“No.” Lily said, smiling. She turned around once more and walked out to the living room, leaving Rob alone in her room. He sat down on the edge of the bed and kicked his shoes off. There wasn’t much point in getting changed. He laid back on the plush mattress, almost surprised at how soft it was. He didn’t move for what felt like forever, until a gentle hand shook his shoulder. “Wake up, sleepy.”

“W-what happened?” Rob mumbled, blinking his eyes open.

“You were screaming. What were you dreaming about?” Lily replied. The thoughts swirled through Rob’s mind, but he couldn’t recall what he had dreamed about.

“I don’t know. Maybe Rich? Maybe even Matt?” He choked out the names. Lily sat next to him, hand still pressed gently against his shoulder. They sat in silence for a few minutes before she spoke up. “Can I ask you a few questions?” She mumbled. Rob nodded, looking at her cautiously. “Do you think you were overreacting? I mean, from what you’ve told me, Rich was nothing like you are now when he found out you enjoyed a kiss with Misha.” The question took him by surprise.

“I don’t know. I mean, I’d say I was, but at the same time I believed I was thinking rationally.” She nodded as Rob spoke. He could feel tears pricking at the corners of his eyes, but refused to cry.

“Your emotions seem to change very quickly, Rob. Like, you hated Misha, and now he’s back to being a good friend. If you were actually upset with him, I don’t believe you’d be that close that quickly.” Another question that shocked Rob. Why was she asking this?

“I know.” Rob mumbled in reply. “He’s a great kisser though.” He managed a smile at his comment, though Lily took no notice.

“What if it was Matt who instigated the kiss? What if it was less Rich’s fault and more Matt’s?” This was the final straw. He could feel anger burning up inside of him. She had no right.

“Rich was the one pinning him to the wall.” Rob replied bitterly.

“That doesn’t mean that it’s Rich’s fault. You didn’t exactly allow him to explain himself, by what you’ve told me.” Rob’s head snapped to meet Lily’s gaze. He didn’t need to say anything for Lily to know that she’d crossed the line. “I’m sorry. I’m only trying to help.” She managed to mutter.

“It’s okay. Just please stop with questions about Rich and Matt. I don’t want to talk about them.”

“Why was Jensen covered in leaves and sticks?” Lily asked, barely letting Rob finish speaking.

“Well, after Misha kissed me, he went to the toilets. After he came out, he saw that Jensen had been shoved into the bushes by some kids. Mish helped him up, and then when they came back to the group he was still picking things out of his hair.” A smile pulled at the corners of Rob’s mouth. Though when Lily started laughing, he couldn’t help himself but laugh along.

“Why’d you kiss me?” The laughter disappeared.

“Why do you ask?” He retorted. She rolled her eyes, though a smile was still present on her face.

“It just seemed a little strange. I’m not saying I hated it, because I really didn’t hate it, but it was completely unexpected.”

“Rich used to do it when I got hysterical over things. It helped me calm down.” A tear trailed down Rob’s cheek, followed by another, and another. “I thought it might do the same to you.”

“It did.”

“Good.”

“Get some rest. Sorry for waking you.”

“It’s fine, Lily.”

Rob adjusted himself under the plush blanket, though as he started to drift off, the bed seemed to move. He looked over to the empty half of the bed to find it occupied.

“It’s cold on the couch.”


	4. "If you don't shut up, I will kill you."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Misha worries about Rob too much.  
> Jensen just wants him to stop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, have some Cockles. :')  
> It's just a little something; a pretty short chapter. A pretty short fluffy chapter, I should say. |D
> 
> It's set after the phone call in the previous chapter. <3

The laughter echoed throughout the room. Misha placed the phone gently on the table, a smile resting on his face from the previous events. “I do hope he’s okay.” He mumbled, glancing over at Jensen, who sat on the edge of his bed. He shrugged his shoulders in reply.

“I think he is, but I also think he’d lie to make us think he’s okay when he really isn’t.” Jensen’s voice trailed off. He didn’t want to think that Rob was in trouble or hurt, but his mind did tend to wander.

“What’s the chance that he found Lily though?” Jensen’s gaze flicked up at the sound of Misha’s voice. “Like, that could have been anyone in that situation, but it was Lily. Someone he’d met before. A fan.”

“Coincidence.” Misha rolled his eyes at Jensen’s reply. “He’ll be okay, Mish. You don’t have to keep worrying about him like he’s a child. He’s older than you!” Jensen smiled as Misha stuck his tongue out. “Plus, you’re not dating him or anything, so you shouldn’t act like it.” He cocked his eyebrow accusingly, though the other only laughed.

“You wish I was.” Jensen held back a laugh as Misha walked from the couch to the bed, leaning over the other. “But then I couldn’t do this.” A smirk lit up his face as he pushed Jensen backwards, forcing him to lie down. He rested his hands on the plush duvet, either side of Jensen’s head. Misha lowered himself carefully, making sure not to put too much pressure on the man underneath him, but so his arms weren’t in an awkward position for him. “I couldn’t do this either.” He mumbled as his lips met with Jensen’s own gently. He pulled away quickly, earning a groan from the other.

“Seriously? You’re teasing me now?” His question was met with a quiet laugh, making Jensen roll his eyes.

“Of course I am.” The audible moan made Misha laugh more. “You still love me.” He whispered, pressing his lips back against the other, though pulling away just as quickly.

“You are so rude, you know?” He breathed as he felt Misha’s fingers lightly graze across his arm. The other pressed a gentle kiss to Jensen’s nose.

“I do know.” Misha pulled back slightly, resting his weight on his right arm.

“And adorable.” A blush rose on Jensen’s cheeks as he spoke, though the blush was mirrored on Misha’s own. His fingers ran across the other cheek, a smirk creeping across his face.

“I know that too.” Misha flicked his tongue out, making contact with Jensen’s cheek. The other swatted him away, causing him to fall off the bed. The younger tried to hold back a laugh, but when the dishevelled Misha sat up and looked at him, Jensen started cackling. Misha sat himself on the edge of the bed, turning his head to face the other. He tried to regulate his breathing, but struggled as Misha pulled a face. “Not as adorable as you though.” The words silenced Jensen’s laughter.

“S-shut up.” He mumbled, sitting himself up and next to Misha. The older grabbed his hands and took them in his own. 

“No. You’re a fucking cutie and I love it.” Misha couldn’t hide his smile as Jensen looked away, feeling his cheeks heat up.

“Misha…” Jensen mumbled, still not making eye contact. Misha moved his hands and cupped the other’s cheeks, forcing him to look at him.

“C’mon, Jen. You know it. You’re a hot piece of ass.” Jensen groaned as Misha laughed. The younger playfully slapped the other’s arm. 

“If you don’t shut up, I will kill you.” Jensen stated, knowing full-well that Misha wouldn’t listen to him.

“No you won’t. You love me.” He replied, leaning in and pressing a gentle kiss to Jensen’s lips, barely lingering before pulling away.

“I know. I know I do. I love you too.” The younger repeated Misha’s motions, leaning in and kissing him gently.

“Do you wanna have some fun tonight?” Misha whispered, trailing his hand up Jensen’s thigh. 

“I wouldn’t be opposed to that.”


	5. "Don't kill Rich please. He's cute."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rob finally came back, crying over how it was all his fault.  
> Rich listened to his cries, believing it was all his fault.  
> Matt couldn't listen to them, because it was his fault.
> 
> Misha and Jensen are just happy to see Rob.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops, this is being released a little later than I wanted. I had to deal with some very personal things though, so this was pushed to the back-burner, but hey, it's here now.
> 
> Thanks to all those that have given a kudos and/or commented. It's extremely appreciated to know that people do actually enjoy this. <3

Rob awoke the next morning to find that Lily had disappeared. Blinking away the drowsiness that still lingered, he reached around for his phone. Luckily it had only made its way underneath his pillow. Unlocking it, he saw a single message. From Rich, of course.

 **Danger Bottom 2:56 am**  
_i love you._

His heart felt heavy. Maybe he did just overreact too much. He should have listened, should have waited. Rob slowly stood up from the bed, catching the wall as he felt his legs partially give way. Drowsy was an understatement. He carefully walked out to the kitchen, dragging his feet along the way. “Good morning, sleepy.” Lily said cheerfully as he entered the kitchen. “I’d offer you breakfast but I don’t have anything unless you want a glass of water.” She chuckled. “I can boil it if you want something special.” This earned a smile from Rob.

“It’s fine, Lily.” He mumbled as he grabbed his suitcases. “I should be off anyway.”

“W-why?” She stuttered. “It’s still pretty early. I’m sure they’re not going to kill you for being away from them.”

“It’s 8:45. I have a bad feeling Misha might start worrying if I’m any later than I am now.” He managed a smile, though the look of sheer panic across her face made her lose it.

“Shit, I’m late!” She yelped as she ran into her room. Rob assumed she was getting changed. He took a seat on the couch, waiting for her. The thoughts ran though his mind, hard and fast, making him feel dizzy. Did Rich actually have a good reason for making out with Matt? Was Matt telling the truth that it wasn’t Rich’s fault? Reality seemed to blur for Rob. He didn’t know what was real and what was made up in his mind. “I’m ready to go if you are.” Lily’s voice shook him from his thoughts, though the lingering feeling remained.

“Yeah, yeah I’m ready.” He stood up and dragged his suitcases to the door.

“I walk straight past the hotel on the way to work. I’ll leave you there.” She said, letting Rob leave first, shutting the door behind him.

“That’s fine.” Lily ducked past him and started speed walking down the street, barely letting Rob catch up. The two walked in almost silence; Lily pointed out every animal she saw, which made Rob laugh every single time. When they reached the hotel, Lily looked down at her watch. “9:04. I’ll only be a little late for my shift.” She smiled. Both Lily and Rob wanted to speak, but neither did. “I should go.” She eventually mumbled, turning around and walking off.

“Wait, Lily.” Rob spoke softly. She turned around, and her eyes widened at the sight of his open arms. “C’mon. You can’t leave without a hug.” She ran towards him and threw her arms around his neck. “Thank you for last night. It was super appreciated.” He mumbled into her hair.

“I know.” Lily pulled away slowly, leaving her hands on his shoulders. “Don’t kill Rich please. He’s cute.” Rob laughed, which made Lily laugh too.

“I know he is. Stay safe, yeah?” He asked. She nodded slightly, turning around and leaving, not wanting to feel upset over the brief meeting the two had. “You’re more than just a fan, Lily.” Rob mumbled to himself as she turned the corner, leaving his sight. He wheeled the suitcases inside the hotel, almost shocked at how empty the building seemed. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement; a hand. He turned towards the motion and saw the receptionist waving. Being polite, he waved back, though quickly headed to his room. Knowing Rich, he’d still have himself locked up. Rob pressed his ear to the wooden door, letting out a sigh of relief when he heard quiet snoring from inside. He patted himself down, repeating the breathing when he found the silver key in his pocket. He carefully unlocked the door, praying that Rich wouldn’t wake up. He didn’t.

Rob moved silently across the room, leaving his stuff near the now closed door. He stopped near Rich’s bed, studying the sleeping male. Rob could only smile. He looked so peaceful, so calm, so attractive, and it made his heart miss a beat. He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to Rich’s forehead. Suddenly, his eyes fluttered open, though turned from drowsiness to complete shock when they met with Rob’s. The younger man’s hand caressed the other’s cheek gently, trying to hold back the tears. It was all his fault.

“Rob?” Rich choked out. Rob nodded slowly, not entirely sure what the other would do. They held the gaze for a lifetime before Rob leant down and pressed his lips against Rich’s own. He could hear his breath hitch from the simple touch. That was all Rob needed. He pulled away slowly, feeling the tears spill down his cheeks. The words caught in his throat as he tried to speak. He couldn’t. He physically couldn’t. Rich’s hand reached up and ran softly down the other’s cheek, wiping away the tears. His sobs became too much, too heavy, and the younger man collapsed into Rich’s chest.

“I’m so sorry…” Rob managed to mumble though the tears. “I shouldn’t have overreacted. It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have come back. You deserve so much better than me.” He words eventually became lost in the cries or muffled in the shirt.

“You weren’t the one who is technically a cheater.” Rich mumbled in reply. Rob forced his head to raise and look at the other, though Rich refused to make eye contact.

“Matt said it was his fault.” Rob whispered. Was Matt lying? Was it just a ploy to get him back to the hotel; back to Rich?

“It was. Sort of.” As Rich spoke, Rob managed to sit up, wiping his eyes, though the sobs continued. “I mean, yeah he was the one that allowed it to happen this time, but it’s always been something we’ve done. Y’know, forcing each other into a hotel room and doing…things. Friends with benefits. I love him, Rob. But I don’t love him more than you. I never could. Please don’t blame yourself for this. It’s not your fault.” Rich felt tears prick at his own eyes, though they were only minor in comparison to the now bawling man sitting next to him.

“I s-should have listened.” Rob whispered. “I should have stayed.”

“No.” The forceful reply made Rob’s head jolt up to look at Rich. “If you stayed, Lily could be dead. And we all know Misha’s taken a liking to her.” Rich managed a smile at his own reply, though it didn’t have any effect on Rob. Not like his smile used to.

“B-but then we might n-not be in this p-position.” With Rob’s words, Rich wrapped his arm around the other, rubbing small circles on his back. Like they did at the park bench; history repeating itself. Everything could have been solved quicker and easier if he had just listened. It was all Rob’s fault.

“It wasn’t your fault. It was mine. Mine and Matt’s. Not yours.” Just as Rich finished his sentence, a light knock on the door echoed through the room. Rob and Rich looked at each other before the older man stood from the bed and walked towards the door. He looked through the peephole, shooting a cautious glance at Rob before opening the door.

Matt.

The newcomer looked almost dishevelled; emotionally destroyed. Like he hadn’t slept since Rob had left. Rob didn’t know why. If anything, Rich should be the one looking like Matt was, not the other way around. Or maybe Rich didn’t care? The eldest closed the door behind the youngest, watching carefully at what the other was going to do. Matt moved towards Rob slowly, like the other was a mere mirage. He doubted that Rob was actually in Rich’s room, actually back at the hotel. He figured that if by the off chance Rob changed his mind, he would have gone straight to Misha’s room, but instead he went to Rich’s. Something just didn’t seem right.

“I’m sorry, Rob.” It was a simple enough statement, but held more meaning than could be counted. He replaced Rich’s spot next to the older man and wrapped his arms around him, though was tighter and seemed to have more of a motive behind it. “Don’t blame Rich. Please don’t blame Rich. It wasn’t his fault.” He mumbled into the other’s hair.

“I know.” Rob choked out in reply. “I know it’s your fault. You told me it was your fault.” Rich sat down on the bed opposite as Rob spoke, sighing softly. Everyone seemed to have such conflicting feelings on the issue. Rich believed it was his fault, Matt believed it was his own fault, and Rob seemed to think it was his, for whatever reason. The thoughts spun around in his mind, though the sight in front of him made his thoughts disappear. Matt’s hands rested on Rob’s cheeks, and his lips were pressed against the other’s. Rich had to blink a few times to prove to himself that it was actually happening. It was strange, seeing someone he truly loved so much making out with someone else who had stolen a piece of his heart, though he figured this is how Rob felt the day before.

When they finally pulled away, a mangled gasp escaped from Rob. That shouldn’t have happened. Matt shouldn’t have kissed him. “What was that for?” He managed to ask.

“Rich isn’t the only one who has feelings for you, Rob.” Rob’s eyes widened at Matt’s comment.

“Wait a minute.” Rich said, deadpanning, gazing emotionless at Matt. “How on Earth do you have the nerve to barge in here and passionately kiss the man I so happen to be in a relationship with?” Matt felt sweat bead on his forehead, the nerves kicking in. Rich wasn’t the most violent person, but when he got angry, everyone needed to evacuate the building. Whilst he showed no expression, Rich’s words were laced with venom.

“To be honest, Rich, I don’t entirely believe that you and Rob are really together right now. You were the one who cheated on him after all.” Rich was taken aback. He had no right.

“Maybe I wouldn’t be in this mess if someone didn’t pull me away into his room after we came back from the zoo?” Rich retorted. As he spoke, he stood up and leaned over Matt in an attempt to show some form of dominance. Though he knew that if the other stood up, Rich would be the one intimidated. He hated being shorter than Matt.

“Don’t you dare stand over me.” Matt said, doing exactly as Rich had planned as he stood up, easily towering over the older. 

“G-guys?” Rob mumbled his position on the bed. The other men jolted their heads to face him. “Can we cut back on the sexual tension please? It’s a little uncomfortable.” Without warning, Rich barged past Matt and replaced his spot next to Rob, linking his fingers in the other’s own.

“You should leave, Matt.” Rich spat. “You don’t have any more business here. You’ve already damaged the relationship between Robbie and I, and I don’t believe you staying is really gonna help anything.” Matt felt his heart grow heavy. One of his closest friends had come ‘home’ after running away from his problems, and he couldn’t even be there to comfort him? To look after him? Without a word, he turned and walked out the door, gently closing it behind him, not letting the others know just how broken he felt. “Now, where were we?” Rich whispered, running his fee hand through his hair.

“I was crying and you were holding me. I don’t really want to go back there.” Rob replied, unlinking his fingers from Rich’s own. His gaze met with the ground, avoiding Rich. He couldn’t bare to look him the eye. He kissed Matt. Well, Matt kissed him, but he didn’t pull away. Hell, Rob even enjoyed it. Minutes passed, leaving the two in an almost awkward silence. Suddenly, a knock on the door jolted the two from their silence. Rich stood up, grumbling something about how if Matt was knocking on the door again, he’d have his head ripped off. As he opened the door, he was pushed to the side as an over-excited and energetic Misha bolted into the room, throwing himself on Rob.

“You’re not dead!” Misha laughed into the bed, noticeably crushing Rob’s ribcage, barely letting him breathe. As he spoke, Jensen quietly stepped into the room, helping Rich from the ground.

“Y-you knew I was ok-kay.” Rob gasped in reply. The younger carefully lifted himself from the other and sat at the edge of the bed, beckoning his companion to join them. First Matt, now Misha and Jensen? Rich felt his stomach flip. Did everyone love Rob more than he did? Was that humanely possible? Misha whispered something into Rob’s ear, making the other giggle. Jensen sat on the other bed, facing Misha. He turned his head to see Rich standing near the door, still not moving.

“You coming over here or not, Rich?” Jensen asked, confused at Rich’s actions.

“Why don’t you hate him for everything that’s happened?” He mumbled in reply, though his question was directed at Rob, and they all seemed to know it. “He was a dick to you.” Rob sighed, looking up at Rich.

“I don’t know.” Rob managed a laugh. “Lily asked me the same thing.” Misha’s eyes seemed to widen as the name of his ‘future lover’ was mentioned. 

“Is she okay?” Misha asked, facing Rob. “I know you said she was okay, but she was pretty cool and I don’t exactly want her to be hurt.” 

“She’s fine, Mish. A little shaken, but I know she’ll be fine in time.” Misha exhaled the breath he didn’t know he was holding. Rich slowly made his way to the others, but didn’t sit down. The thoughts raced through his mind, making him almost dizzy. He’d really screwed up everything, hadn’t he? Everything really did just boil down to what he’d done. If he hadn’t seduced Matt in the first place, this wouldn’t have happened. None of this would have happened.

_“So, Matt. What are you doing after this?” Rich said, watching the other sweep the floors. Karaoke had just finished, and Rich had forced the other into cleaning up. Of course there were others around to help, but Rich wanted Matt to suffer at least once._

_“I don’t know. I might just go back to the hotel room. I’m feeling a little out of it tonight.” He tried to hold back a yawn, but couldn’t, making Rich yawn too. “I mean, you’re more than welcome to come back and chill with me, if you want?” Matt asked. The other snorted._

_“Netflix and chill?” The phrase made Matt laugh loudly, needing to use his broom as support, which made Rich laugh too. When the two had finally exhausted themselves, Matt replied._

_“I wouldn’t say no to that.” The blood rushed to Rich’s cheeks. Yeah, he was attracted to Matt, but he didn’t think that his stupid comment would actually get him what he wanted._

_“You know, I really wish Rob was here with us.” Matt said, changing the subject._

_“Why? So he could clean up instead of you? Or so he could be involved in our chill?” Rich winked at Matt, stifling his own laughter._

_“No, no, none of that. We just don’t seem right without him. Yeah, we’re the Kings of Karaoke and all, but it’s not the same without him hanging about and cheering us on.” Matt sighed._

_“I know.” Rich replied, feeling his heart grow heavy. He did miss having Rob around, but he wanted some time off, some time away from everything, and both Rich and Matt understood. The younger leant his broom against the stage, proud of how much he’d helped in the cleaning process. He walked towards Rich, extending a hand._

_“So? Do you want to?” Rich knew what he was asking. He gave a simple nod in reply. Biting his lip, he extended his own hand, grabbing Matt’s. “Just a warning, I do bite. Hard.”_

By the time Rich’s thoughts escaped his mind, both Misha and Jensen had left, and Rob was in the shower, singing. Rich himself had somehow made himself to his bed, and was sitting on the edge, cradling a photo. It was the one he always managed to sneak into one of his suitcases, no matter how much other stuff he needed to pack. It wasn’t the first, but was one of the earlier karaoke sessions that all three of them had been involved in. They all looked so happy; so carefree. Like nothing had ever happened between them. Of course, the photo was taken long before anything happened between Rich and Matt. Suddenly, Rich’s ears picked up the words that forced their way past the closed bathroom door.

“ _There’s a raincloud and it’s heading back my way,_  
_There’s a valley where they’re giving out heartbreak,_  
_Intoxicated, ‘cause I’m thinking about his face,_  
_And it’s quiet when the big one starts to quake._ ”

Rich noticed the single changed word.

He knew Rob was singing about him.


	6. "Did I fall into a pretty bush?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gardens are lovely this time of year.  
> Especially when you find Jared Padaleckis covered in petals and wearing flower crowns, and Matt Cohens covered in leaves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is fluff and angst  
> and it's g r e a t  
> A little bit of Rob and Rich with a lot of Jared and Matt.

Rich fell asleep before Rob got out of the shower. His body was curled around the picture, legs dangling off the edge. Rob ran the towel over his hair, eyes widening at the sight of his sleeping roommate. He walked over to his, carefully treading as so not to disturb Rich. The picture was only slightly tucked under one arm, so Rob tugged at it gently, removing it from the bed. His fingers ran across the frame, before lingering over the image of Rich sealed in the glass. He looked so happy. So did Rob and Matt, sure, but Rich was different. Overly excited, pumped up on adrenalin from the karaoke beforehand. The Rich Rob somehow fell in love with. Rob tucked himself into bed, donning the same clothes that he’d worn a few days ago. Did Matt really love him? Surely there was a proper reason for the kiss. If he did love him, Rob would feel terrible for not returning the feelings. They belonged to Rich. Rob felt his eyes grow heavy, slipping into a deep sleep. It was 9 in the morning. He could have a day of sleeping if he wanted.

Matt, however, was all too awake. He paced the small room, feeling tears prick at the corner of his eyes. Jared sat on the bed, watching the other. He so desperately wanted to tell Matt how he was feeling, but knew it wasn’t the right time. Not with how Matt was feeling. “Please, Mattie. Calm down.” Jared stood up, placing his hand on the other’s shoulder. The younger turned to face him, eyes wet with tears that wouldn’t spill.

“I don’t really know why I kissed him.” Matt whispered. “I know what I said, but I didn’t really mean it. I guess I was just jealous.” He sighed. “Of what they have.”

“Why don’t you just go and tell them what you actually meant?” Matt looked up at Jared, glaring. “I mean, they’re both understanding guys. I’m sure they wouldn-“

“They’d rip my head off!” Matt snapped, cutting Jared off. He took a deep breath, praying that Jared wouldn’t push further. He didn’t, instead moving to their minibar and taking out two cans of lemonade. He knew starting the alcohol off this early would not end well for either of them.

“Do you want to do something today?” Jared asked. “To take your mind of everything. Just the two of us.” Matt rocked his head from side to side, giving the impression that he was mulling it over. But in truth, he was all too happy to spend some time with Jared. 

“I’d be happy to, Jared. Thank you.” Without warning, the shorter of the two slinked his arms around the other’s waist, pulling him into a hug, head barely resting on his shoulder. The taller laughed, pressing his lips gently to Matt’s temple.

“Good. I mean, they’re friends of mine, but so are you. And you don’t deserve to feel bad over what’s happened.” Matt found himself smiling at Jared’s words. He really was a great friend.

“Where do you wanna go?” Matt asked, pulling away from Jared’s grip.

“I don’t know. We could check out the gardens? It’s not far from the zoo, so we shouldn’t get lost or anything.” Jared replied. Matt nodded enthusiastically, looking forward to the adventure that would follow. The two cleaned themselves up and headed down to the buffet for breakfast. Aside from the two discussing what they were going to eat, neither really spoke to the other. That was until Misha and Jensen showed up.

“Hello, children!” Misha shouted, wrapping his arms around Jared’s shoulders in a hug. He moved onto Matt, but the younger pushed him away. “What was that for?” He mumbled, taking his seat in front of the other.

“You didn’t hear what happened before you two rocked up?” Matt questioned, cocking an eyebrow. Both Jensen and Misha nodded in reply. “Exactly. I don’t think I deserve Misha hugs right now.”

“Now, now, Mattie. Everyone deserves Misha hugs. Even when they’ve been a total d*** to the people they’re closest to.” He smiled brightly as he took Matt’s hands in his own under the table. “You’re still a friend.” A tear trailed down Matt’s cheek, forcing him to break the connection between him and Misha so he could wipe his eyes. Jared slinked his arm around the shorter’s shoulders, pulling him in. “We all know it’s not your fault.”

“Well, it is. But it’s also Rich’s fault.” Everyone turned to face Rob, who had joined them at the table. “He’s still asleep. I didn’t want to wake him.” He toyed with his hair gently, trying to avoid the tension between himself and Matt.

“I’m really s-sorry, Rob.” Matt mumbled. “For everything.” He felt more and more tears roll down his cheeks, batting them away with the napkin under his cutlery.

“It’s fine, Matt. We can talk about it later, if you want. Right now, I’d just prefer to have a nice breakfast with my friends.” Matt felt almost uncomfortable with how calm and collected Rob was being, but didn’t want to push the issue in case he ended up snapping. Breakfast continued in almost silence, with the only conversation really happening being an argument between Jensen and Misha over the marmalade. When Matt had finished eating, he excused himself and made his way to Rich and Rob’s room. He knocked on the door, not knowing if Rich would be awake or not. To his surprise, the door opened.

“What do you want?” Rich spat. Matt barged his way in, ignoring the other’s complaints. Pushing Rich aside, he shut and locked the door before turning to face the other. “This isn’t happening. Not now.”

“Oh, it’s most definitely happening.” Matt retorted. He carefully pushed Rich backwards onto one of the beds, luckily his own and not Rob’s. Towering over Rich, he felt the tears start to fall once more. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve, before taking his place next to Rich, falling into the soft duvet.

“This is not sex.” Matt could only nod at Rich’s statement. “You’re not pinning me to the bed, and we’re both still wearing pants.” The taller rolled away, his back facing Rich as the tears continued to fall.

“Everything’s my fault.” Matt mumbled, ignoring Rich’s attempt to make the situation lighter. “You and Rob would have a good life with each other if it wasn’t for me. I broke it.” He struggled getting out the words, unable to halt the flowing tears. Rich was shocked. Matt had just barged into his room, locked the door and was now crying on his bed. Everything seemed so weird, like it was straight out of a shity story. Rich sat up and pulled Matt towards him, forcing him into an awkward hug.

“Mattie. Look at me.” The younger listened, wiping his eyes but making eye contact with the other. “It is not your fault.”

“But it is though! Even Rob agrees!” Matt managed to say through the tears that now flower freely. The sobs rocked his body, and he quickly found himself curling into the older man’s grip. Rich tilted Matt’s chin up and pressed his lips to the other’s own. Matt still felt tears trail down his face, but found comfort in Rich’s touch. The older pulled away fairly quickly, almost like he believed Rob would walk in at any second.

“You just have to remember that we both need to discuss this with Rob. If he’s cool with it, then we can keep it up. If not, w-“

“We stop. I know.” Matt cut Rich off. He ran his hand across the other’s stubble. He always hated it when Rich shaved. “Will you kill me if I kiss you?” Rich smirked at the other’s question.

“I wouldn’t say no, if that’s what you’re asking. You’re pretty hard to resist.” Without any warning, Matt mimicked what Rich had done only moments before, and pressed his lips against the other, lingering much longer than the other had.

“I do enjoy what we have, Rich.” Matt mumbled, pulling away.

“I do too, Mattie.” Rich’s gaze lowered, avoiding Matt’s own. “Why are you so upset about everything?” He asked, wiping his thumb under the other’s eyes to remove the tear stains. “Like, I know that you believe everything’s your fault, but it seems like there’s something more underneath that pretty little face of yours.”

“R-Rob’s a friend. A good friend. A best friend.” Matt stuttered. “Just like y-you, Rich. I’ve jeopardized my f-friendship with both of you by k-keeping this up.” The sobs started once more, and Rich could only hold the younger. Yeah, he’d fucked everything up, but that didn’t mean that Rich would pin the blame on him. Both of them were involved in the situation. Suddenly, a knock at the door echoed throughout the room. Matt pulled away from Rich quickly, wiping his eyes and the other walked to the door.

“Hey, Rich. Matt’s here, yeah?” Matt found himself managing a small smile at the sound of Jared’s voice. He stood at the edge of the bed as the tall man walked in. He knew that Jared would put two and two together and realise what he’d been doing with Rich before he walked in. “Hey, Matt. You left pretty quickly after breakfast. You okay?” He asked, kindness and consideration lacing his words.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just…” Matt’s voice trailed off. Shaking his head, he gave Rich an awkward hug goodbye and left the room, quickly being followed by Jared.

“You’ve been crying. You’re not okay.” The other spoke from behind, forcing Matt to stop. He turned around slowly, gazing up at the taller man. “Please. Let me help.”

“No. It’s okay.” Matt’s voice was shaky. “I just want to go and wash my face a bit, and then go to that garden you were talking about.” Jared nodded at the other’s words, placing his hand gently on his shoulder. 

“Okay. Take as long as you need.” Matt felt oddly comforted by Jared’s supportiveness, similar to Rich had done to him before. When they eventually entered the room, Matt went straight to the bathroom, splashing the cold water over his face. He could have drowned himself then and there, and nobody would have known. Nobody except for Jared, who of course was standing behind him with those puppy dog eyes meeting his in the mirror. “I’m ready when you are.” He mumbled.

“Yeah, I’m ready. Just let me get a jacket.” Matt entered the main room, grabbed his jacket and met Jared just outside. It had been a little chilly at breakfast, and Matt knew that it would only be worse outside. Jared locked the door behind him, and the two walked out to the main foyer, even saying a quick hello to the flustered Rob who had just come out of his room. Matt felt the tears well in his eyes once more as he flicked his hand in a wave, but was determined to not let Jared know as he blinked them away. When they made it to the foyer, Jared walked over to the information desk to make sure that they wouldn’t get lost on their garden journey.

“Okay, I know what we’re doing and where we’re going. There’s a nice little café there too, apparently. We can get lunch. Plus, they have the most gorgeous rose bushes according to the pictures.” Matt could only listen as Jared continued to ramble on about how beautiful the garden was. “Not as beautiful as you though.” Whilst Jared’s voice was no more than a whisper, Matt knew what he heard. He couldn’t be mistaken, right? Jared actually said that? As they turned onto the path leading into the gardens, Jared finally stopped. The whispering of the wind through the trees made the taller draw a sharp breath. “It’s beautiful.”

“As you’ve said five hundred times so far.” Matt smirked, walking ahead of the other and into the gardens. Jared tried to contain a scream as he spotted some form of white flower dotting a bush, clearly not roses, but something else. “You like them?”

“I guess so.” Jared said, kneeling down to gain a better image of the plant in front of him. “They just seemed to stand out amongst the greenery. Pure, white, gorgeous flowers.” As he spoke, Matt reached down and picked one, tucking it behind Jared’s ear. “I don’t think you’re allowed to pick the flowers, Mattie.”

“Oh well. White suits you.” He reached down and picked another one, tucking it behind Jared’s other ear. He picked another, and another, and eventually started fashioning a flower crown from the white flowers. Matt placed it gently on Jared’s head, ignoring the protests that came from the taller. He sat next to the now crowed man, containing a laugh. The white really did suit Jared. Matt picked yet another flower, and started to pull each petal off one by one, placing them in Jared’s hair as he did.

“Stop hurting the flower!” Jared shrieked when he noticed what Matt was doing. The other didn’t stop, once again ignoring the protests from Jared. “I’m gonna kill you, Matt.”

“No you’re not, Jared.” Matt said, admiring the petals that now littered the older man’s hair. The white stood out greatly amongst the dark brown strands, but despite his slight anger at his friend for hurting the flower, Jared didn’t care. Matt yawned, exhausted from their half-argument previous. He reached up to pull out the petals from Jared’s hair, but was swatted away. “Don’t. I’m pretty sure it looks fine.”

“Jared. You have petals in your hair. People are gonna think you fell into a bush, or that your crown is broken.” Jared laughed at Matt’s comment, but the younger only rolled his eyes. “I’m serious.”

“Did I fall into a pretty bush?” The question took Matt aback. He wouldn’t deny that Jared did look oddly more attractive than usual with the petals dotting his hair, but there was no way he’d actually tell him that.

“Do you feel pretty?” Matt asked in reply. 

“I guess.” Jared shuffled awkwardly. Was there a reason Matt was asking these questions?

“Then yes, yes you did fall into a pretty bush.” The blush rose on Jared’s cheeks. He reached into his own hair and pulled out a petal, delicately placing it on Matt’s nose. He giggled at the other’s clear unhappiness. “C’mon, Mattie.” He gave the other a gentle shove, making the petal fall off.

“I’m not the one who fell into a bush. Don’t cover me in petals.” Matt replied, mimicking Jared and shoving him back. The taller shoved back, hard, and eventually the two found themselves on the ground, Matt covered in leaves and Jared trying to pick them out of the shorter’s hair. “I hate you. You know that, right?”

“Yeah, yeah. Keep telling yourself that.” The two laughed. “The flower crown stayed on. You made it well.” Jared said softly.

“I’m decent. I’ve made both Rob and Rich some before. I’ve mastered it.” They laughed again, though this time at Matt’s slight cockiness. Jared fell back into the leaves, holding the crown as his head met the ground to keep it in tact. Jared’s laughter faded before Matt’s, leaving a silence between them.

“Hey, Matt? Can I tell you something important?” The question sent shivers down Matt’s spine. Was something wrong with Jared? Did he meet someone? Was everything okay?

“Y-yeah, of course.” Matt felt beads of sweat on his forehead and his heart began beating faster.

“I, uh…” Jared’s voice trailed off as he gulped. “I’m gay.” Matt felt his heart almost stop, but it was nowhere near as bad as he thought it was going to be.

“That’s it?” Matt’s voice sounded much harsher than intended. Jared felt his heart race more than he believed it ever could. Did Matt really not care? He thought he could trust him with his feelings, but…

“Sorry.” Jared whispered, standing up quickly. “I shouldn’t have said anything.” He felt the tears welling in his eyes. Out of everyone, he trusted Matt. He somehow trusted Matt even more than his best friend for this situation. The hand on his arm pulled him backwards, unintentionally making him topple backwards onto the ground.

“Shit, Jared. I didn’t mean to do that.” Matt said, standing over his friend. He extended his hand, helping the other up, but Jared wouldn’t take it. Realising how stubborn he’d be, Matt sat himself next to him. “I didn’t mean to sound so harsh.” Jared’s gaze met Matt’s own, heart racing. “I really didn’t. It was a shock, yeah, but I don’t really care, you know?” Matt paused as he tried to find the words. “You were clearly upset because I unintentionally reacted badly, but I can assure you, Jared, that I do not think of you any differently, sort of. You’re my friend. And you’re still you.” He wiped the tears that rolled down Jared’s cheeks, like he had done to Matt back at the hotel. “Don’t cry. Please don’t cry.”

“What do you mean ‘sort of’?” When Matt cocked his head, confused, Jared knew he’d have to elaborate. “You said you don’t think of me any differently, sort of. What do you mean?” Matt felt his cheeks flush and Jared spoke. It was always hard for him, feeling things for Jared in his half-relationship with Rich. God knows how much he cared about Rich, and how those feelings extended so much further than the friends with benefits relationship, but he’d never tell him that. Never. His feelings for Jared only started developing a few years back, but he never acted on them, especially when he was screwing Rich at every possible chance.

“I like you a bit. Yeah, in that way.” Matt leant over towards the other and pressed his lips gently to the taller’s own. He felt Jared run his hands through his hair, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss. It was almost strange, but Matt knew deep down that he didn’t care about what this could mean for him and Rich. Sparks were flying that he didn’t really knew existed until not long ago, and he was more than content with it.

Matt only pulled away when he heard someone behind him clear their throat. Eyes wide, he looked over his shoulder, seeing a young lady standing by an equally young man. “Lily?” Both Jared and Matt asked in sync.

“Y-yeah. Hey, guys.” She mumbled, a slight smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “This is Alfred. He’s a friend from work.”

“We actually go way back, all the way back to high school. Almost 10 years of knowing each other.” Alfred butted in. Matt felt almost uneasy being around the newcomer, like he was going to hurt someone. Especially Lily.

“Yeah, we should be off. Go and get some lunch, right Mattie?” Jared asked, clearly reflecting Matt’s feelings. He nodded and stood up, waving a quick goodbye to the platonic couple.

“I don’t like him.” Matt said quickly as they walked off.

“Neither.”

“Should we do something?”

“We’ll get Misha to. He’ll be able to find out what’s going on.”

The two walked past the café, not stopping. Neither wanted to be around Alfred in fear that they’d get hurt. Which was stupid, really, but they didn’t want to risk it. They instead found themselves heading back to the hotel, and grabbing some lunch there. The two walked closer than they had left, but their hands still sat by their sides, not touching aside from the occasional gentle brush or slap on the arm after a bad joke. As they walked into the hotel’s restaurant, Jared said a quick hello to Rob and Rich, who were leaving just as they were entering.

“Well, those two seem to be making up now.” Jared said as he and Matt sat at the table, glancing over the menus. Matt nodded in agreement, before standing up.

“I need to pee. I’ll be back soon. Won’t be too long.” Matt gave Jared a gentle pat on the shoulder before exiting to use the toilet. Jared quickly whipped out his phone and scrolled through his contacts until he found Rob’s name.

**That Moose 12:29 pm**  
_Hey Robbie. I think Rich and Matt were at the very least making out before I turned up and dragged Matt to the gardens this morning. I just thought I’d let you know. It’s a hunch, but you deserve to know._

“Did you see Matt and Jared come back from wherever they were? They seemed pretty…” Rich paused as he thought of the word. “Cosy.” He paced the foyer, occasionally looking down at Rob, who was lost in his phone. They were going to organise another outing, but the vibration from Rob’s phone made Rich understand he wasn’t the top priority at the moment.

“Yeah. But I mean, hey, if they’re together, good for them.” Rob replied, not overly paying attention.

“I know, but it stings a little. We are more than friends after all.” Rob looked up at the other, an eyebrow cocked. “What? You know it’s true. Though I will stop it if you’re not comfortable.” Before Rob could reply, Rich interrupted. “I know you’re uncomfortable and I will stop it.”

“It does make me pretty uncomfortable. Especially when you talk about it.” Rich held back a laugh. “What’s so funny?”

“You found out yesterday, and I’ve barely spoken about it.” The younger didn’t respond, leaving Rich to roll his eyes with a smirk. “Do you actually believe he has feelings for you?” The older pressed. Rob flicked his gaze to meet Rich’s own, a questioning look plastered on his face. “Just wondering. You don’t have to snap.”

“I didn’t snap! It just feels like you’d rather me trail after Matt than try and fix things with you.” Rich’s jaw dropped at Rob’s words.

“We’re not arguing about this in public.”

“I know.” Rob stood up and started to walk back to their room, but turned around to see Rich not following, still stunned. “Oh, by the way, Jared told me about what Matt did to you after breakfast. I feel a little betrayed with everything that’s happened, but I should have expected it.” Rich’s jaw went slack once more, even more shocked than before. “Give me five minutes alone and you can come in.”

Rich stood in the lobby for five minutes exactly. When he reached the room, he knocked, but the door swung open. Unlocked. He looked around the seemingly deserted room, praying that Rob was just hiding in the bathroom, or behind the couch. His eyes were drawn to the photo frame on his bed; the one he’d snuck in his suitcase. The glass was shattered, like it had been previously thrown at a wall. The slight dent above Rich’s bed proved his theory. He looked around the room once more, the extremely slight movement near the balcony door catching his attention. Blinking his eyes, Rich noticed that Rob had sat himself outside. He quickly made his way to the door, pulling it open. “Rob?”

“I really don’t know what we are, Rich. You can’t go making out with everyone you see if you want to keep this up.” He stood up and faced the other. “Two fucking days, Rich! I confessed my feelings two fucking days ago and look at what’s happened!” Rob cried out at the frozen Rich. “Why do you think I keep my feelings bottled up, Rich!? So shit like this doesn’t happen to me!” He barged past the older, and wrapped his blanket around himself, nestling into his bed. Rich believed Rob was angry, though on a much larger scale than he’d ever seen him before.

Rob just didn’t want Rich to see him cry anymore.


	7. “I’ve got a little bit of hope, Rich.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything can be solved with a party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I abandoned this fic. :')  
> But I'm back with a final chapter because I've felt genuinely bad for not having finished this.  
> There were originally going to be 10 chapters but I don't have the SPN motivation right now??  
> So it's just gonna stop at 7.  
> I've also realised how bad my writing was last year so this probably sounds really bad.

Rich watched as the younger man curled in on himself, knowing that tears trailed down his face despite not seeing them. Rob was a mess, and it was all his fault. Rich carefully moved towards the bed, gently lowering himself next to his friend. The other sniffed when he felt the bed dip, and curled in more, still not wanting Rich to see him cry. A caring touch to his shoulder made Rob look up. He could see it in Rich’s eyes that he was hurting. So much more than Rob thought he could.

“I know I fucked up.” Rich spoke softly yet blunt, unintentionally keeping Rob on edge. “It feels like we’re just going around in circles. Like, one moment we’re all good and friendly and loving each other, and the next I do something bad and you’re pissed with me!” The younger’s breath hitched in shock. Why was Rich blaming him for everything? He wasn’t the one doing the cheating. “I’m not accusing you of anything. Hell, if I were in your position, I’d be pissed with me too.” Rob buried his head under the covers as the tears pricked at his eyes. A quiet sob escaped the confines of the plush blanket, forcing Rich to reconsider his words. His mind became scrambled as he tried to think of anything and everything that could make Rob love him once more. Eventually, he found the words.

“If you want this to work out, I will be loyal to you. No matter what, I will stand by your side and we will be happy together. But you need to understand that Matt and I have had this thing for a few years now, and I don’t believe that either of us are gonna go cold turkey on what we have. I can’t forget about him in a day or two, Rob. I love you in a completely different way to how I love Matt, and it tops anything I could ever feel towards him. I’ve loved you for so long and my feelings have only developed and grown stronger as the years have gone on. You’re all I want, Robbie, and I love you.” Rich’s heart raced as he spoke, each word carefully aligned with the others. Rob rolled his head around, facing the other with tears rolling down his cheeks. “I’m sorry.”

In a swift movement, Rob lifted his body up and pressed his lips against Rich’s own. The blanket got in the way of the intimacy that Rich wanted to experience, but he could feel the forgiveness in the kiss. Rob pulled away quickly and hid once more under the covers, leaving Rich to smirk to himself at how good he was with words. “Am I gonna be blessed with a smile now?” He whispered, leaning towards Rob’s buried face.

“No.” Rob mumbled, a grin silently spreading across his face.

“I can tell that you’re smiling.” A laugh laced Rich’s comment, and Rob could tell.

“No you can’t.” The younger replied, covering his face with more of the blanket. Rich pressed his lips gently to Rob’s temple, trailing his fingers across his covered shoulder. 

“Are we okay now? Just for a little bit?” Rob mumbled an affirming reply, leaving Rich to release a breath he wasn’t aware he was holding.

“Sorry for snapping before.” The question took the older aback. Rob didn’t need to apologise.

“You have nothing to be sorry for.” Rich heard a heavy sigh escape the confines of the blanket in response.

“I’m still gonna apologise.”

“I know you are.” Rich carefully moved himself to the other side of Rob as he spoke, laying down and spooning him through the blanket. He didn’t care that it was only the early afternoon; he was more than happy to fall asleep with Robbie in his arms once more. “Just please remember we have the party tonight. Get some sleep, sure, but we need to be ready for tonight.”

Hours passed, and everyone gathered in the hall that had been booked out for all of them. One by one, everyone became intoxicated; slowly for some and very quickly for others. Lily sat on one of the couches, having been invited along by Misha only a few hours before. Everyone welcomed her in, though she found more comfort in sitting on one of the couches by Mark Pellegrino, who had also been dragged along.

“Why?” The question had rested on her lips for far too long. Mark cocked an eyebrow before having one of the plastic cups thrown at his head, presumably from the now too drunk Jared.

“Why what?” Lily opened her mouth to reply, but closed it as she thought of the words. She needed a straight answer, and seeing as Mark was the least drunk out of everyone, she figured she’d ask him.

“Why me?” Mark shot her a confused look, making Lily roll her eyes. “I’m just a fan, Mark. A stupid, obnoxious, idiotic fan. Why do any of you think of hanging around me?” The question took him aback. She was none of the things she claimed to be. He reached over and took her hands in his own. “If you guys actually think of me as a friend, you need better friends.”

“You’re a great friend, Lily. You put yourself down too much.” Mark’s voice was laced with kindness, and his eyes echoed the support that escaped from his lips. “Whilst I can’t speak for the others, Sebastian and I both believe you to be a wonderful person.” He pushed a stray strand of copper hair behind Lily’s hair. “We keep in contact with you because we love you.” A blush rose to her cheeks, though she knew what he meant. Her breath hitched. She had known both Sebastian and Mark for a number of years, but never mentioned it to Misha after the zoo incidents. His rough hands gently trailed across her fingers.

“You know I don’t believe you, Mark.” His eyes rose from Lily’s hands to her face, almost confused. “I’m stubborn like that. You can tell me all you want that I’m some beautiful, perfect human being and I will always not believe you.” Lily laughed at her comment, making Mark laugh too. She had that effect with people; everyone laughed with her. Especially Rob.

“Well, what can I do to make you believe me?” Mark smirked. Lily only rolled her eyes.

“Nothing. It’s just me, I guess.” She gently pulled her hands away from him, resting them in her lap. He slinked his arm around Lily’s neck, pulling her in towards him, not wanting to break the contact. As the others behind the couch danced and sang with each other, Mark knew that nobody would get the wrong idea about him and Lily being so close. And even if they did, they’d be too drunk to remember it the next morning.

“C’mon, Lily. Surely there’s something that’ll make you change your mind.” As he spoke, Lily leaned into him, resting her head upon his chest. “You can’t be this sad all the time.”

“A kiss?” Mark’s eyes widened. She couldn’t be serious. How would that help her feel important? “You know I’m joking.” Lily’s comment made him relax slightly, though her laugh made him relax even more.

“Okay.” Mark replied. Mere moments passed before he placed his free hand under her chin and lifted her face up; his lips meeting hers with a gentle peck before he pulled away. He could see the desire in her eyes, and met her once more with overwhelming passion, though still retaining his gentleness as to not scare her off. Lily, on the other hand, wanted to pull away. This was wrong; Mark was famous in her eyes. His lips should be pressed to a multitude of things, but hers were not one of them. But she couldn’t. He wasn’t forcing her to stay there, of course. That wouldn’t be like him. But Lily could not find the inner strength to move, aside from trailing her hand up and down his chest and around his waist. Maybe she could get used to this.

On the other side of the room, Misha and Jared had taken over the karaoke, forcefully pushing Matt and Rich off the stage. Rob stood by the table, picking at one of the plates of nachos that Matt had prepared especially for him and Rich. He wasn’t hungry, but needed something to distract him. The effort that his younger friend had gone through to make this party possible was uncountable, but Rob didn’t want to be there. He loved seeing his friends intoxicated and having fun, but tonight was different. Almost like everything was forced. In the midst of his thoughts, Rich staggered over to him and flung his arms around the shorter man. “I love you, Robbie.” He mumbled into the other’s neck, the scent of alcohol wafting to Rob’s nose.

“I know you do, Rich.” He managed to gently place his arms around Rich’s body, his hands resting at the small of his back. 

“No, but like, I really love you. I wanna spend the rest of my life with you, Robbie.” Rich slurred. Rob’s eyes widened, though he grounded himself when he realised just how drunk the other was. He didn’t mean it, did he? Even in his intoxicated state, Rich wouldn’t say something like that unless he meant it. Right?

“Okay, Rich. You need to lay off the alcohol.” An uncharacteristically only slightly drunk Sebastian spoke from behind Rob. Ignoring Sebastian, Rich pulled away from Rob and turned to the table, grabbing a bowl and proceeding to empty his stomach into it, earning a loud gag from Rob. Sebastian grabbed Rob’s arm and dragged him to the kitchen, disregarding both the vomit-covered mess and Rob’s pleas to clean Rich up.

“What gives, Seb? I’m one of the least drunk here! Let me clean him u-“ As Rob was about to finish, Sebastian covered his mouth with his hand and pointed in the general direction of Rich. He was collapsed on the ground, tears trailing down his cheeks and vomit covering his clothing. Matt had sat down next to him, trying to get him to calm down but to no avail.

“Everything’s my fault, Mattie.” Rob heard Rich mumble. He pulled Sebastian’s hand away and stood there with his jaw dropped. “I don’t deserve him.” Rob was shocked. He thought that the ‘whose fault is it?’ situation was put behind them. Matt, clearly not as drunk as Rich, only patted his shoulder affectionately, hoping that he wouldn’t ruin the relationship between Rob and Rich once more. He whispered something to Rich out of earshot of Rob, but the almost happy expression that spread across Rich’s face proved that Matt said something good.

“I knew Matt’d step in, no matter how drunk he was.” Sebastian mumbled, not wanting to draw attention to himself and Rob. “As long as you weren’t there. I was curious to see how it played out.” Rob felt the urge to leave a mark on Seb’s face, but had the inner strength to know better. As Sebastian spoke, Matt stood up, extending a hand to help Rich too. Noticing that they were heading in their direction, both Rob and Sebastian ducked around to the cupboards and started discussing how bad the music that the others were singing to, both keeping an eye on Rich and Matt.

The younger of the two forced Rich to cup his hands under the now running tap and swish the water around in his mouth, obviously not wanting to use the only toothbrush in the house. Rich did so unwillingly, though breathed a sigh of relief when he spat out the vomit-water into the sink. “T-thank you.” Rich stuttered, feeling Matt’s hand rub circles on his back. Wiping his mouth with his shirt, Rich turned around to see Rob ‘engaged’ in a conversation with Sebastian. He walked towards the two slowly, being overly cautious. “Can I speak to you, Rob?” Rich mumbled the question, but Sebastian knew the two needed some time alone. He grabbed onto Matt’s arm and dragged him back to the stage to reclaim his throne as karaoke king of the evening.

“What’s going on, Rich?” Rob asked, grabbing Rich’s hands and holding tightly. Even the small gesture forced tears to prick at Rich’s eyes.

“Being drunk isn’t fun sometimes.” He mumbled in reply, supressing a vicious yawn. The alcohol was starting to take its toll on the older man.

“I know it isn’t. At the very least, not as shitfaced as you are right now.” Rob chuckled at his comment, though Rich seemed unfazed. “C’mon, Rich. What’s wrong? You’re not usually a sad drunk.”

“I know, I know. I just…” A loud shriek cut off whatever Rich was about to say. The two exchanged shocked glances and almost ran out of the kitchen into the lounge room. The sight in front of them was something neither expected to see. On the couch, Lily was spread out across Mark, somehow still asleep with Mark dozing off. Right next to the food table, Jared had decided it was a good idea to take a seat on top of Matt, who for some unknown reason was laying on the ground, squealing for Jared to get off; the source of the screech that cut Rich off. Jensen sat with his legs dangling off the lone seat, with Misha sitting in his lap and nuzzling into his neck. Sebastian, however, was nowhere to be seen. Louden Swain quietly filled the room, and when the first few notes of ‘Hey, Darlin’ reached Rob’s ears, he had an idea.

“C’mon, Rich.” Rob said, grabbing the other’s hand and dragging him over to the stage area. A smile spread across Rob’s face as the song continued. He held Rich’s hands in his own; left in right and right in left. Missing the chorus, Rob gazed into Rich’s eyes as he sung.

“Hey, darlin,  
Can you dance with me tonight?  
Let me hold you tight, in my arms.” 

With the three lines, Rich was a bawling mess. He ripped his hands from Rob’s own and threw them around the younger’s neck, head nestled in the crook of his neck. Through the tears, Rob could hear three combinations of words, mere variants of those three words many dread to hear; “I love you”, “I love you, Rob” and “I love you, Robbie” were the only words Rob could hear. The younger carefully pulled away from Rich, the hurt evident in his eyes. Deep down, Rob didn’t know why it had taken him so long to find the courage to say those three words. That was one thing he didn’t know about himself, but knew he’d have to push those feelings aside to save Rich.

“I love you too, Richard Speight.” 

The words echoed in Rich’s mind, not fully comprehending what Rob had just said. It was something never said to him by Rob, no matter how many times he said it to the other. He didn’t really know what to feel; everything around him seemed to freeze. Even those around him, from the squished Matt to the half-awake Mark, everyone was watching with baited breath for Rich to do something. Time stopped as he thought of what to do next; did he lean forward and press his lips to Rob’s, or did he just smile and nod? He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t even notice it when Rob took the initiative and kissed him instead. It was sweet and well needed. Rob pulled away first, though barely moved. His whispers sent a shudder down Rich’s spine.

“I’ve got a little bit of hope, Rich.”

“What for?”

“Us.”


End file.
